My Friends

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada, | Category: General | Apr 1991

Three times in Scripture Abraham is described as God's friend. High tribute indeed to a son of Adam's race. The mind staggers at the thought that God, who is eternal and immortal, seeks out one of His failing creatures and calls him "My friend" ('S. 41:8). How humble yet encouraged Abraham must have felt.

There is one incident which seems to confirm the unique relationship Abraham had with the Lord. Sodom and Gomorrah were doomed to destruction, and while the two angels were on the way to carry out the judgement the Lord spoke these remarkable words: "Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do ... For I have known him ..." (Gen. 18:17,18). Then this incident follows: "but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt Thou consume the righteous with the wicked?" (Gen. 18:22,23). He stood, then drew near. Abraham did not rush into the divine Presence. Prayerful pleading of a most unusual kind came from the distressed heart of Abraham. Six times he patiently sought a reprieve for the doomed cities. "Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city", was his first plea: then down the scale to ten. The wonder of it all, that Abraham stood before the Lord and then drew near. What a privilege, and what an example to us of the reverence and awe which prayer demands. What grace and patience is revealed by the One who knew already that the situation was hopeless. God obviously respected His friend.

So did the Lord Jesus respect His disciples as friends. Leaving the Upper Room en route to Olivet He made this wonderful declaration: "Ye are My friends ... I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:14,15). Things of great importance are not kept from friends. God did not hide from Abraham; the Lord Jesus did not hide from the disciples all the things He heard from the Father. That is friendship indeed. Could they ever forget their progression from being His little children, servants, disciples, to friends! Grace upon grace indeed.

Our closing thought is a recollection of two disciples of John the Baptist who followed Jesus after He was proclaimed the Lamb of God. Jesus turned, saw them, and posed the question: "What seek ye?" When they answered "where abidest Thou?" they received the reply of a Friend. "Come, and ye shall see ... and they abode with Him that day" (John 1:35-39). They accepted the invitation of their new-found Friend.

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada, | Apr 1991
General