Abraham, the Friend
Abraham is known as the father of faith. He was also called God’s friend (Is. 41:8; Jas 2:23). That means faith has everything to do with a friendship. Without a friendship, faith is not faith, but rather make-believe. Make-believe is a subtle, close substitute and the perfect counterfeit for faith. Unfortunately, it is anxiety-ridden and destitute of the elements of a relationship with a person.
I once heard it said that in order to get faith, you have to find someone who is trustworthy. Then if you spend time with that person, trust will just happen, automatically. There is no avoiding it. Conversely, if you find someone who is not trustworthy and spend time with that person, then distrust will happen automatically also and there is no avoiding it either. Its when we finally see Jesus as perfectly trustworthy and then spend time with Him, talking to Him (in prayer), listening to Him (from His word), and going places and doing things together with Him (in the Christian witness and service), then we will gain a natural trust in Him that nothing can break. And it will not be self-manufactured, but spontaneous and natural.
Abraham didn’t go to Canaan in search of real estate. He went in search of a Friend. He had a yearning for friendship. Something called to his soul, Someone called to his soul and offered that friendship he needed so much. He followed that lead out to a wild, remote place, not knowing where he was going (Heb. 11:8). He did what would be scary to others who aren’t searching for a friendship with the living God, he abandoned all earthly ties who would not come along in his search. He went in answer to a call for surrender to that God. Thus, through varied circumstances in life, Christ worked in Abraham and led him down into the calm waters of repentance and there quietly submerging him, baptized him over and over again. In the end, Abraham had faith and freedom from self. His heart was soft, his mind was healed, his will and resolve and courage were settled and strong, and he had the trust and true happiness he had longed for all his life, a peace that passes all understanding.
If we will keep following up the Lord’s leads and not be sidetracked, we will be richly rewarded. No amount of gold or silver or possessions can compare to restoration of body, mind, and soul─the return to the lost image of God in man. Christ’s question to mankind, “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” echoes through all time, down to us. Every one of us can come into such a friendship with Jesus that, like Paul, we will be evidence to the world that His friends don’t receive “the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2Tim. 1:7. One day soon Christ will have His people again. They will all be healed and sealed, and be ready to say and do His will, “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” Song of Solomon 6:10.
I once heard it said that in order to get faith, you have to find someone who is trustworthy. Then if you spend time with that person, trust will just happen, automatically. There is no avoiding it. Conversely, if you find someone who is not trustworthy and spend time with that person, then distrust will happen automatically also and there is no avoiding it either. Its when we finally see Jesus as perfectly trustworthy and then spend time with Him, talking to Him (in prayer), listening to Him (from His word), and going places and doing things together with Him (in the Christian witness and service), then we will gain a natural trust in Him that nothing can break. And it will not be self-manufactured, but spontaneous and natural.
Abraham didn’t go to Canaan in search of real estate. He went in search of a Friend. He had a yearning for friendship. Something called to his soul, Someone called to his soul and offered that friendship he needed so much. He followed that lead out to a wild, remote place, not knowing where he was going (Heb. 11:8). He did what would be scary to others who aren’t searching for a friendship with the living God, he abandoned all earthly ties who would not come along in his search. He went in answer to a call for surrender to that God. Thus, through varied circumstances in life, Christ worked in Abraham and led him down into the calm waters of repentance and there quietly submerging him, baptized him over and over again. In the end, Abraham had faith and freedom from self. His heart was soft, his mind was healed, his will and resolve and courage were settled and strong, and he had the trust and true happiness he had longed for all his life, a peace that passes all understanding.
If we will keep following up the Lord’s leads and not be sidetracked, we will be richly rewarded. No amount of gold or silver or possessions can compare to restoration of body, mind, and soul─the return to the lost image of God in man. Christ’s question to mankind, “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” echoes through all time, down to us. Every one of us can come into such a friendship with Jesus that, like Paul, we will be evidence to the world that His friends don’t receive “the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2Tim. 1:7. One day soon Christ will have His people again. They will all be healed and sealed, and be ready to say and do His will, “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” Song of Solomon 6:10.
posted by David | 2:07 PM
2 Comments:
There is another thing to remember regarding the trust and relationship and faith. It's called familiarity.
No matter who untrustworthy a person is, if they are familiar to you, then you tend to trust them more than someone you don't know. You can be hurt by someone repeatedly, but because you are "familiar" with them, they seem safer than something new.
This is a very good reason for choosing wisely our friends and associations. I know it causes me great concern with my own children. Some of the things I want them to learn in life aren't being taught by the friends and extended family that they are most familiar with. It's a struggle. Right now, they are very familiar with close minded people at our ultra legalist church, and it breaks my heart because I've been down that legalist road and I don't want to go there again, and I dont' want my children to learn it. Unfortunately, it is the closest church in our area, and so we don't have many options or choices. So, we take comfort in praying praying praying, sighing and crying for what is being done in churches in the name of legalism, much like what Ezekiel saw in vision about the man with the inkhorn.
Thank you, Sharon.
When I was in the Navy, they taught us about something called the Pygmalian Effect. Prisoners of war would escape and the guards wouldn't apprehend them because they had become friends simply by spending so much time together. I know what you mean by familiarity. When we are put into close quarters we kind of grow on each other. That can be good and bad.
You're right. It all boils down to picking your friends. We were born with friendly tendencies to the devil and grew up in his territory. The only true God was the Unknown God. Now we need to His help to get familiar with each other in order to become friends so we can have faith in Him.
But you're right, it can go the other way too. But the prayer of a mother can go a long way. "Doth not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?" "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." Lk. 18:7, 8.
That's a wonderful promise for us parents.
Post a Comment
<< Home