Friends

“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me” (Psalm 139:1).

I had lunch a few days ago with a dear friend. I could say “old friend,” but being female I’ll refrain from saying “old.”

I’ve known Pat for over forty years. Actually, I met her when I met my husband’s family. Her family had been long-term friends with his family. It has been a wonderful relationship through the years.

We don’t get together often, but when we do, we chatter for as many hours as we can glean from our schedule that day, knowing that it has to last until we meet again.

There is no want for words. No silences in the conversation. We pick up on phrases from each other and just continue talking.

It’s not that we necessarily always agree. In fact, it is common for us to disagree on various topics—and we cover a plethora of topics during our time together. But we disagree amicably, stating our view, with the other stating their view, and then moving on to another topic.

She is a dear friend that I value very highly. I think the length of time I’ve known her contributes greatly to that value. No cover-ups. No hiding anything. She knows me well.

I have another dear friend whom I’ve known for over thirty years. Lorna, too, is a highly valued friend. She is a completely different personality than Pat.

But the same wonderful conversations develop between us. Again, there is no want for words.

No lapses in conversation. No silences. We don’t always agree on every topic either, but there is a mutual love and respect between us that is of infinite worth.

Both of these women have brought something very special to my life. I am blessed, and I am better for having known them. Both of these women have known me long before I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.

They knew me when. . . .

Both of these women know me so well that either of them would be able to defend my character and my morals. Because they know how I think, they would be able to defend my thought process.

If they were to hear something about me that was untrue, they would be able to say, “Oh, no, I don’t believe that, Peggy would not do that.”

Likewise I would be able to defend either of these women. I know them well. I know how they think. I know their integrity. I know what they would and would not do in any given circumstance.

Now, I’m not naïve. I know there are things within each of our hearts that we can never know about another person. But I have known these women for a long time, and I’ve watched how they’ve weathered their many storms, and they have watched as I’ve weathered mine.

Watching each other persevere in very trying circumstances through the years has established a respect for the character of the other. Wonderful!

I am so fortunate to have these two women in my life.

I’ve read that if we have one true friend, a bosom friend, a kindred spirit, one who knows us and loves us “warts and all,” then we are truly blessed. Since I have two such friends, I am indeed abundantly blessed.

Did I mention they are “dear friends?”

And then I have my Best Friend. I haven’t known Him as long as I’ve known Lorna and Pat, but He has known me since before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4).

Actually I know Him better than I know Lorna and Pat. The reason I know Him better in a shorter period of time is because He has written all about Himself in His personal Love Letter to me. Not only has He told me all about Himself, but He tells me all about me, too, warts and all (Hebrews 4:12).

Again, there is no want for conversation between us. I don’t even have to call Him on the phone or meet Him for lunch. I just have to think, and He knows exactly what I’m thinking.

“Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely . . .” (Psalm 139: 4).

The amazing thing is that He can and does read my mind even before I know the thought is there, and He loves me anyway. Don’t be shocked. He loves you too, in spite of some of the things you think!

One of the wonderful things about good friends is they never intrude. They value each other’s space and privacy, so they don’t tire of one another.

Because Jesus is my very Best Friend, I spend a great deal more time with Him than I spend with anyone else. Of course, He spends every second of every day 24/7 with me and He never tires of me, nor do I tire of Him. He never gets bored with our conversation, nor do I.

I want to know everything about Him. So, I’ve set apart time each morning to spend with Him. I talk to Him throughout the day. I study a great deal. I discuss everything with Him. And I do nothing without first consulting Him.

The reason I value Him so highly and spend so much time with Him is because He loves me and values me highly (Ephesians 1:1-6). In fact, He loves me enough to die for me—and He did—for you too.

Think about it. Before we were ever born, God died for us.

He created a perfect world. We sinned. (I can say “we” because if Adam and Eve had not sinned, and the world would have been perfect down through the centuries, when I was born I would have been the one who sinned—and so would you.)

But God loved us so much that He left His beautiful heaven to come to earth and live as one of us and die for our sin. There was only one way for us to get to heaven, and that was for us to be perfect every minute of every day of every year of our lifetime here on this earth.

Since we can’t be perfect for even a few minutes, the likelihood of us getting to heaven was nil. So God did it for us. Heaven is frosting on our already delicious cake.

Knowing God is without equal.

As much as I value my friends, and they value me, earthly relationships pale in comparison with our relationship with Jesus, our Best Friend.

Of course, the wonder of my Best Friend is that He died for me so that He could have me with Him forever—the same reason He died for you.

But of nearly equal importance is how much He loves us, knows each of us, searches our inmost spirit, and then provides exactly what we need. How amazing is that?

Think about it.

The Best Friend we have knows us from the inside out. We can tell Him anything—because He knows it already.

For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13).

In this world there are many sorrows, hurts, pain, disillusionment, rejection, and the list goes on and on. But we have a Best Friend Who lives on the inside of us, Who constantly searches our spirit, and then communes with God what He sees there (Romans 8:27), and then takes appropriate measures to satisfy our deepest desires.

How cool is that?

There are times when I don’t know what I want. I try to think things through as best I can with my limited knowledge. But when it’s all said and done, I rely on my Best Friend to search me, cleanse me, purify me and make me whole.

He knows all things, controls all things, and His love is infinitely greater than we can fathom, we can depend upon Him to work out our lives for our good and His glory.

After all, that is why we were created (Isaiah 43:7).

My Best Friend knows me better than anyone else, even my long-term friends. He knows my character, my morals, and He knows how my mind works.

He defends me against the enemy, and He is always interceding for me (Hebrews 7:25). He is my Refuge, my Shield and my Rampart (Psalm 91).

He never listens to gossip. He always knows truth. He doesn’t always agree with me, but when He shares His view, I always agree with Him. What a wonderful Best Friend. I rest in His Presence.

What about you? Do you know my Best Friend? How much time do you spend with Him? Is the time you spend with Him commensurate with someone you would claim to be your best friend?

Do you read His Love Letter to you? It is filled with wonderful truths about Him that cannot be gleaned any other way. Do you remain in constant prayer all day—every day with your Best Friend?

Are you resting in Him?

Remember, life isn’t about what is going on around you that is tangible and temporal. Life is simply the means by which we establish our destiny with our Best Friend.

Just a thought, but if you don’t want to spend time with Him here on earth—are you really sure you want to go to heaven?

Heaven will be all about Him.

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).

Loving His Presence now is evidence that we have made our reservation with Him—forever.
Are you anticipating eternity with Him?

Don’t let anyone or anything cause you to lose your eternal focus. And don’t let anyone or anything intrude upon the most valuable relationship of life.

Jesus, your Best Friend. Your closest Friend. He is your Advocate, your Defender, your Protector, your Shield, and He is your Refuge.

He is the very best part of life—don’t miss Him. Don’t settle for the mundane and mediocre of this life. Don’t settle for a bologna sandwich when you can have Fillet Mignon.

So, do you know my best friend?

You are my friends if you do what I command. 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. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (John 15:14-16).

Recommended Reading
Hebrews 3:1-6
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 8:1-6
Hebrews 9:11-15
Hebrews 10:19-39
Hebrews 12:1-11
Hebrews13:15-16