WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,
so that you also may have fellowship with us. And
our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son,
Jesus Christ.” We write this to make our joy complete.
(1 John 1:3-4)

MEDITATION:
Whenever you are good friends with someone, and you are asked
about her or him, you usually tell others a lot of good things about
them, don’t you? You want others to know how much you cherish
their friendship.

If they cross paths with your friend, you want them to know what
is special about them. You would like for them to appreciate their
friendship as much as you do, and to become friends with them as
well, right?

What are the things about them that make you enjoy their friendship?
It could be the way they lift your spirits, or the encouragement they
give you. You may enjoy just talking to them, or maybe you appreciate
their compassionate and caring attitude. Whatever it is, you enjoy telling
others about them and their good qualities, don’t you?

This is how John felt about his relationship with the Lord.
He wanted others to be friends him, so that they would in
turn become friends with God the Father, His Son Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Can you blame him?

We should have the same attitude and concern as John. Whenever
we communicate and fellowship with the Lord, we should have a
natural desire to see others do the same. Why? Because we have
discovered that when we fellowship with the Trinity, we develop
and appreciate their characteristics, their love, and their concern
for us.

In a world that can be dark and gloomy at times, we know how
our days can be brightened and how our spirits are lifted when
we fellowship with our Creator and His Son (and the Holy Spirit).

Whenever we feel the crush of disappointments, frustrations,
sicknesses, and other things that are unpleasant, we know how
we can take our concerns to our loving Father and He will hear
us. Why? Because He loves us!! When we are aware of His love
and reflect on it, we can appreciate the soothing effect it has on
us when we are dealing with any issues in our lives.

We need to remember that when God made us, we were made in
an image and likeness of Him. God has purposes for making us,
but the main reason is for us to fellowship with Him. All of His
other purposes for us are determined and driven by this primary
desire of God to fellowship with us.

Whenever we fail to fellowship with Him, we can have a feeling of
being lost and confused. It can cause us to feel there is an important
part of living where we just don’t ‘fit in’. Without this relationship
with God, if we are honest about our feelings, we will readily admit
that overall we are unhappy.

As a result of this unhappiness there are many who are trying
many different things in their search for peace and happiness.
However, their frustration will only increase when they discover
they cannot find happiness in financial security, recreation,
pleasure, achievements, etc.

There is a song with a phrase “looking for love in all the wrong places”.
God is the ultimate source of love, and He is the One we should look
to for finding real love, happiness, peace and joy. Until we turn to Him,
we will continue to search for completeness ‘in all the wrong places’.
Only those who have a relationship with God, know that He is ‘real’,
know that His Word is true, and know that peace and happiness can
be found in a close fellowship with Him.

John found joy in his relationship and fellowship with God! He
tells us he would be even happier, if others would also develop
the type of relationship he has with our Creator. John wants
others to be friends with him, so they can appreciate the benefits
he has found in being friends with the Lord. God was real to John
and he had a burning desire for Him to be real to others as well.

Think about John’s efforts and what they mean. If loving the Lord
was merely some kind of fad, then more than likely John would try
to persuade others to fellowship with Him. But John wanted others
to ‘see’ how God was alive in his own life as a way of encouraging
them to ‘seek the Lord’. Consequently, he didn’t coerce anyone,
but chose instead to love others into a relationship with God.

ACTION:
Are you experiencing a life that is searching for peace and happiness?
Where do you go in your efforts to fulfill this need? If you haven’t
already done so, wouldn’t it be a good idea to consider turning away
from the world’s solutions, and turn to the real source for fulfillment
which is, God our Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit?

This Trinity can provide what the world will not, because it cannot.
We have the opportunity to learn from John’s experiences with his
own relationship with the Lord, and that should be motivation for
us to at least consider (try) what he has said about fellowshipping
with God.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your desire to fellowship
with me. Forgive me if I have overlooked my opportunity for
being friends with You. Turn my focus and attention away
from the world and what it offers, and help be to turn to You
instead. I want to be able to tell others about my fellowship
with You, and to help them understand how You can become
their best friend as well.”

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