Jesus is My Friend

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Last night, I heard a message about Abraham who was considered to be the friend of God. I found myself thinking what an awesome title to have “friend of God “. I began to do all kinds of intellectual gymnastics to think about what qualities are characteristics I could muster up to acquire such a moniker. I wanted to earn the privilege of being God‘s friend. I heard about how Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Oops fall short on that one. So often I don’t believe, but rather, I doubt. How could it be possible to have enough faith or pure enough faith to make me righteous? Then I heard about Abrahams complete obedience. Such an obedience that he had a willingness to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac just because God said to do so. Oops again I fall short I couldn’t even imagine myself, even believing that God would ask such a thing of me and then having the degree of surrender that I could actually do it? Nope I guess I can’t qualify as a friend of God.
This morning, I woke up with the old hymn “ What a friend I have in Jesus “flowing through my mind. Almost immediately, it became somewhat clear that perhaps I need to adjust my focus. Rather than striving and engaging in feudal efforts to earn my way to a close relationship with God., Instead, it might be better to realize the amazing reality that Jesus is willing to be my friend.  
“I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭AMP‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1588/jhn.15.15-16.AMP

A friend is chosen. Friends communicate with one another, even sharing plans and secret dreams. Friends trust one another. Friends are vulnerable with each other friends love and sacrifice for one another. How wonderful that Jesus is all that for me.

I found a few songs that seem to wonderfully express the value of Jesus being a friend.










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