There is a friend . . .

Once someone asked in a Bible Study I was attending if God was our friend.  My immediate reaction was "no."  I had been raised to see God as holy and far above us - which He is.  I hadn't been taught about His kindness and love for us though - so I pretty much thought He was too good to be friends with the likes of me.  I was wrong.  He wanted to be my friend.  He wanted to share all of life with me - just like a good friend would.  Since that time I have become close friends with God and it has been the most important friendship in my life.

God says that there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother - that friend is Him!  I know that you might have a different perspective of God than this.  If you were like me, raised to see God as a harsh authority figure - seeing Him as a friend will be a huge stretch.  If you have been raised to think that God may or may not exist - then to consider the reality of His friendship may be almost impossible for you.  I just know that for me - calling God my friend is amazing and wonderful.  I know that I can't see Him or touch Him.  I know that having a friendship with  someone under these circumstances has it's challenges.  I know that I often struggle with knowing how to maintain such a friendship.  I was out on a walk just today discussing this with Him and asking Him to help me with these things.  It isn't always easy, but it is so worth it.

You see, God is my best friend.  He knows everything about me - even things I don't know about myself.  He says that He even knows the number of hairs on my head.  He knew me before I was even born and He has every day of my life written in His journal.  He has been taking care of me since the first day I was conceived and since the first breath I breathed on my own.  He has protected me and kept me safe.  I have come to trust Him with my deepest hurts and strongest desires.  He has counseled me and comforted me when no one else could.  He has loved me even when I didn't care about Him at all.  He loves me even when I am not lovable.  He has been faithful to me.  He has shown me how special I am to Him.  He is the most patient and kind person I have ever met.  He never condemns me when I make a mistake.  He never laughs at me when I do something stupid.  He never keeps track of the wrong things I do.  He is gentle and kind and simply wonderful.  If you take every good attribute of every great friend in the world - you wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of what a great friend He is.  Oh, and He even gave His life for me - so that my life would be spared.  There is no greater love than this:  that a man give up his life for a friend. 
 
The best thing about God's friendship is that it is available to us all and He wants this friendship more than we do!  He loves us all equally, yet individually.  He knows exactly what I need and exactly what you need from His friendship.  He is completely trustworthy and has a heart of pure gold.  I used to try to keep my friends to myself because I didn't like to share.  God is too good to try to keep to myself though.  I need Him so much and I know that we all need Him just the same.  I hope that you have this friendship with Him too.  If not - He is just a prayer away.  I know He would love to hear from you!

I am humbled and honored and so thankful for my friendship with God.

Psalm 73:25
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.