Friend of God
Hello Bride of Christ,
One of the sweetest times in life is when you can connect with a friend. When you speak with a friend something magical happens. Your soul could be affirmed, challenged, encouraged, comforted, and so much more. Often you leave the conversation feeling heard and as if you received a blessing. One indication for me that I am speaking with a friend is that during the unspoken moments they know what I am thinking. This friend can finish my sentences, predict my thoughts at times, and challenge me with difficult conversations. Sometimes these friendships take time, years, to establish, but there are the rare occasions where it just simply happens.
Oh the Lord understands how He has fashioned us to desire this type of friendship. He also knows how to be a great friend!
Today's scripture is from the book of Exodus in the bible chapter 33. Since I will not reference the entire chapter here in this post I encourage you to pause here and read the Exodus chapter 32 and 33 for context.
Here in Exodus chapter 33 the Lord speaks to Moses after rectifying the issue of the children of Israel worshiping a golden calf, an act of idolatry. The Lord speaks some harsh words to Moses. However, at first glance it does not appear so, because the Lord tells Moses to depart and go that He will give Moses and the children of Israel the land He had promise to their forefathers. The Lord also tells Moses that He will even send His Angel before them to win all their battles. Then the Lord drops the harsh truth... "for I will not go in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are stiff-necked people." (Exodus 33:3).
Boom! Wow the Lord was still hurt with the children of Israel's adulterous hearts which chose to worship a golden calf. The Lord felt betrayed, but He was still going to hold His promises.
The Lord was honest with Moses and expressed to Moses how He truly felt about His people. Does God speak like this to everyone? I believe God desires to be completely honest and transparent with His feelings to us all. But notice God only spoke this to Moses. He did not share this with all the children of Israel. Why?
Look at verse 11 in Exodus 33 with me. It reads, "So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Moses had a special type of relationship with the Lord. He was His friend. This is why the Lord was able to be brutally honest with Him. It is also the reason why Moses did not want the promised land, milk and honey, or his enemies defeated if God was not going to be with him. Moses' desire was his friend. Likewise the Lord desired his friend Moses.
Good news, Jesus in John 15:13 -15 declares us as His friend! It reads "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does. But I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you." Like Moses the Lord sees you as a friend.
When the Lord speaks honestly and frankly with you know that it is because He sees you as a friend. May you cherish His friendship and listen with a heart desiring to understand and change, as Moses. Delight in His word and treasure it in your hearts Bride of Christ for the Lord treasures you above all else!
