Being the “Better Friend” & Being Friends with God – Purity 1936
Purity 1936 04/13/2026 Purity 1936 Audio Podcast
Purity 1936 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of my canine pal, Harley, making the ascent of the hilly portion of “Freedom Road” where the “Tree of Life” can be seen “at the summit,” comes to us from yours truly as I captured this peaceful scene while out walking Saturday morning.
Well, it’s Monday, and as we begin our ascent into another work week, I am reminded of how my friendship with Harley has come a long way, but it still isn’t where it should be, as my dutiful companion left me hanging as he didn’t wait for me on the return trek back to our countryside home, yet again. It is my own fault, of course. Harley is just a dog and operates by instincts. I give him the freedom to walk without a leash, and he occasionally betrays my trust by running off.
While some may disagree, I am the “better friend” in our relationship. I take Harley for walks without a leash, more or less on demand. I share my food with him on occasion and am generally pleasant and friendly towards him. I’ll even agree to play fetch and “tug of war” with Harley’s dog toys when he presents them to me. In fact, the only difficulties we face in our relationship occur when Harley gets led astray by his instincts and runs off or when he disobeys clear commands because he is too distracted by something or someone else.
I used to get upset and attempt to discipline Harley, but I realized that his violations were my fault, really. What did I expect when I let him run loose? That he wouldn’t run loose? Or that he would instinctively understand the invisible standards and limits that I wanted him to operate in? With the upcoming move to Glens Falls, Harley and my days of walking free along the countryside roads are numbered. By the end of the month, we won’t be in Easton anymore, and any walks we will take will require a leash. So I accept Harley’s failings for what they are because he doesn’t fully understand. I would like to think that my thoughts are higher than his thoughts, and because of my love for him, I choose to forgive him.
Speaking of someone being the better friend and having higher thoughts, the David Jeremiah devotion from “Living in His Light” examines what it means to be friends with God, and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage us to be better acquainted with man’s real best friend – God. David Jeremiah writes:
“What a Friend!
I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord, I make my supplication. – PSALM 142:1
Those who have a best friend are blessed with a relationship of transparency and acceptance. For some, it is a sibling, for others, a non-family member. That may be what Proverbs 18:24 refers to as “a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
A friend is a person to whom you can pour out your heart, a person who will not judge you for the feelings you express. For David the psalmist, that friend was God Himself. When David found himself alone and oppressed by those who opposed him, he cried out to the Lord. That is, he used his voice to tell God what he was experiencing and how he was feeling (Psalm 142). He didn’t hold back; he trusted that his covenant friendship with God was strong enough to withstand his flood of words and emotions.
In John 15, Jesus introduced a new relationship with His disciples: He called them His friends (verses 14-15). Their relationship changed from Master/servant to Friend/friend. And so, it is with us. When you are lonely, discouraged, or confused, tell Jesus. He invites you as a friend to come unto Him (Matthew 11:28-30).” – David Jeremiah from “Living in His Light”.
Amen. Even the best of human friendships can have moments of disagreement, conflict, and disappointment where one or both sides walk away hurt, upset, or offended. For the friendship to endure, apologies, amends, and forgiveness have to be offered. Reconciliation between friends will come only when they value the relationship more than their pride. The “better” of the two friends will have to agree to accept the failings of the other, forgive them, and choose to love them anyway.
When we are friends with the Lord, He is definitely the “better friend,” and unlike our human companions, we can always be assured of His steadfast love and good intentions toward us.
God is THE BEST friend we could hope to have. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and is perfect in His wisdom and love. His grace and mercy bless us with the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life. There is no better friendship perk than that!
But sadly, some believers haven’t developed their relationship with God to “friendship status”. While they have accepted God’s grace, they haven’t come to fully know His love, doubt if being friends with God is even possible, don’t invest time in the relationship, or don’t fully trust God in “that way” yet.
One of the first bits of advice I give to people seeking a deeper relationship with God is to start talking to Him as a friend would, as you go about your day. Instead of talking to yourself, talk to God as if He is right there with you (because He is) and because the more you do that, the more comfortable you will become with being “friends with God”.
God loves us, and we are commanded to love Him, and the easiest way to do that is by relating to Him as your best friend. No other person has given you as much as God has, and no other person could hope to love you as much as He has. So appreciate that fact, thank the Lord, and get to know Him more by talking to Him and being His friend.
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