The title of this blog is A Friend of God!
What exactly does it mean to be a friend of...it means you care, you are careful not to offend, you have the interest of the other at heart. The other comes before you. A friend sticks closer than a brother. They will stomach all your flaws, but be keen to point out when you are going out of line...the list is endless.
I know God considers me His friend because He has all the mentioned and more for me. I am however not sure i qualify to call Him my friend. Why? Because as Paul writes in Romans 8, i have so many times fallen short of God's glory. I at this moment feel like i shouldnt refer to myself as a friend of God. I must feel like the prodigal son at that moment when he had squandered his all and wouldnt garner the courage to go back to his dad and seek restitution. That period when he fed on pig pods... i am at that level of David crying out and beseeching God not to withdraw His Spirit from him, but just have mercy upon him and restore with a right spirit.
Those at the bottom of the valley experiences that you look at and all you can say is "God, here its you. Get me out of here and leave me to die."
Are you in a similar situation. Are you at a point you are thinking "how could i?" You are not alone. The Bible assures us that God never slumbers nor sleeps. That we are the apple of His eye. What that simply means is that we are at the centre of His interest. All that He does is centred around us. No matter how far we walk away from Him, His hand of compassion still beckons us back to Him. He will receive you and together with the angels in heaven host a party to celebrate our coming back home. How i long for this moment! That moment when i am going to be able to face Him once again and have Him embrace me, wipe away my tears, and keep assuring me that all of my iniquities have been blotted out. Will you come together with me? Will you run with me to the mercy seat? Lets together gather the strength and courage. I am myself. Just making sure i am not leaving you back. We must go together and claim back our inheritance. Not so that we can go squander it in a far away land again, but like David would say just look at our iniquitied and forgive us daddy! Just as we are without a plea...
Psalm 51:1 - 17; Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, OGod of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
