Much of what I inadvertently described about a loyal friend is the person who God happens to be; He is that loyal friend. Something about the idea of God keeps us at a distance—-probably ideas of His power and judgement fill our heads. But we neglect the idea that God wants to be our friend. He’s wanting to be, for us, that loyal friend. But we need to see through our fear in order to discern the larger message He’s trying to send us.
Proverbs 18:24: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Some friends are closer and more loyal than even your own family. They’re so close, they’re like family. Jesus is an exemplar of a friend who never leaves. He’s that friend who’s always there because He is literally always there. Something we don’t realize when we’re seeking company in our life—and not that that’s wrong—but Jesus is one always willing to walk with us through whatever comes our way. He is that friend who never leaves.
Proverbs 20:6: “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” This is a good question. Where do you find that faithful man? I think we’ve all ran across countless people who so readily proclaim their own loyalty, but when it really counts, and the chips are down, they’re nowhere to be found. It’s funny how that is. You wonder if they see this contradiction in themselves or if they just choose to overlook it. But finding that faithful friend just makes them all the more valuable. Sometimes that most faithful friend is the one who never had to state their own loyalty; they just proved it by being there when it counted.
Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Part of our fulfilling of the law as believers involves caring for one another. It’s how we live out the word in our daily lives. Some struggles are just too big for one person. Having that loyal companion to help bear the load is just enough to compensate for the shortfall. And it’s nice to know that when we are that faithful friend, we’re not just helping our friend, but we’re exemplifying the love of Christ and being pleasing to God in the process.
Ecclesiastes 4:10: “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” This verse speaks to the value of a friend who is there to help us when we fall. Sometimes when you have no one there to help you can end up in a real messy situation. This can happen at times, where we have no earthly friend to help. But the comfort we have is knowing that, even if no one else is there, Jesus is still waiting to pick us up. If you’ve ever seen the ‘Footprints in the Sand’ poem, it speaks to this. One set of footprints in the sand—it’s an assumption you were walking alone—but what you find is that those footprints weren’t yours, but the footprints of the Lord who picked you up and carried you through. You were never alone all along.
Jeremiah 31:3: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” God shows His desire to be our friend by drawing us to Himself with His lovingkindness. People so mistakenly think that God is waiting with a judgmental look of disapproval, but don’t realize that He’s waiting for you to come to Him. He’s waiting with outstretched arms to draw you in. It’s His word that says in Romans 2:4 that “…..it’s the goodness of God that leads you to repentance”. God doesn’t show us who He is by being that distance watchful eye from a distance waiting for our failure. No, He shows us who He is by being that near and loving friend—the kind who never leaves.
cialis uk Meanwhile the moose is eating papers at one end of the table while plopping out moose pies at the other end of the table splattering a few participants’ business suits. The medicine only deals with erections and not the internal bureaucracy’s – india viagra online needs. As discussed earlier, this is mostly caused by psychological and emotional problems. cheap super cialis The article explains what viagra in italy virus protection is why it is important to encourage men to exercise.
Proverbs 18:24: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 20:6: “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?”
Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Ecclesiastes 4:10: “For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
Jeremiah 31:3: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”