In my morning devotion, I was reading through Psalm 25 when I came across a verse I have read several times, but this time, there was a fresh revelation of the verse that really blessed me. It’s from Psalm 25:15, where David said, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant”.
Often, when we think of God, the idea of Him being a friend isn’t what comes to mind. We perceive Him as powerful, mighty, merciful, loving and kind, but not really our friend. Maybe for those who sense a closer relationship with Him, they may even call Him Father, but that is still not the same as a friend. The dictionary defines a friend as, “A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard”. A friend is someone you can talk to, someone you can trust, someone you care about and will go lengths to sacrificially help. Good friends make our lives happier because they are fun to be around. The joy they bring us is quite distinct from what any relative could offer, and this is the friendship that God offers those who fear (reverence, respect, honour, highly regard) him.
God does not only want to be your Father, your provider, protector, the righteous and holy judge of the world, but He also wants to be your friend. I believe the highest relationship we can have with God is not only to be known as his children, and Him as our Father; or our Lord (Master) and we His servants, but He wants to be known as our friend.
Jesus reiterates the significance of this friendship when he said, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” John 15:15.
The amazing truth is that, in Christ, we have the friendship of God through faith. ““…Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God” (James 2:23).
Blessings,
Chris Eke
