The value of our friendship with Jesus is worth more than the whole world, and it is awesome to know that He understands us and will be honest and truthful in our relationships. The criteria for our continued friendship are to do His commandments and seek to please Him. We can’t be a friend of the world and a friend of God at the same time. Our life of separation from the world is to please our friend. We must not go to places where we can’t take Jesus with us or that make Him uncomfortable. We don’t want to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is likened unto a dove and is quick to take its flight.
By Denzil Holman
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There are some individuals who travel with us on the journey of life and leave lasting impressions, helping to shape and mold our character. If we are blessed to have people like this in our lives, they are treasures more precious than earthly jewels.
When I refer to those who are friends of the altar, I allude to those who are friends with the God whom we meet at an altar. I want to reiterate that an altar is a meeting place where we connect with God. There is a beautiful song that is currently being widely sung in our churches that is titled “I Am a Friend of God.” To be a friend of God means many things, and one of them is having a consistent relationship with Him and frequenting an altar of prayer.
In our relationships with others, there are several degrees of friendship. The first level may consist of those who are mere acquaintances. The next one could possibly be casual friends, and then there are special, close friends who are dear to us. There is a friend who transcends all earthly relationships. The Lord is our closest friend above all others.
A man that bath friends must shew himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).
For man to be alone is not good, and this means more than marital and family relationships. No one lives or dies to himself, and our sphere of influence may be more far reaching than we would suspect. We need friends and others need us as friends. Some things about friends also encompass our relationship with the Lord, our dearest friend.
Jesus spoke of friendships with His disciples. Just as we need earthly friends, we need God as our friend more than we need any earthly friend. There are places and times when friends can’t help us but God can go where no earthly friend can go even if he wanted to. The old song says, “Where could I go but to the Lord?” An altar is where we strengthen and cultivate our friendship with the Lord. Our visits to the altar are not limited to when we initially meet the Lord. Our relationship with our friend is meant to be consistent and frequent. Some friendships either grow stronger or wane over a period of time, but our friendship with Jesus should be our entire life after meeting Him. Friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine should describe our relationship. In the Tabernacle, they offered morning and evening sacrifices. Our friendship also needs to be constantly renewed and refreshed.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is ‘mewed day by day (11 Corinthians 4:16).
Our friendship with God at an altar of prayer should not be infrequent or inconsistent. Jesus said to us, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).
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