16-09-18 notes

In Genesis when the three angels were journeying to Sodom they stopped at the place Abraham was staying. Do angels journey? the intention was to see Abraham, and how did he respond to the visit?

First of all He recognized the group or one of the group as being his Lord, secondly he stopped everything he was doing and had a meal prepared for them. He got his servants involved, he got Sarah involved. What is striking is that when the Lord showed up he served Him, he sought fellowship with Him.

What would be our reaction/response to the Lord coming to see us in the flesh in person as it were? Would we focus on what He could do for us or would we recognize who He is and serve Him and enjoy Him? When Jesus walked the earth later people would go to Him, not to serve but to get their infirmities addressed or the infirmities of their friends. He healed, he responded to their requests but often told them not to tell anyone. Christ wants to first and foremost be our friend, and companion, and He seeks that we first and foremost are His friend.

The best of friends serve each other, they give of themselves to serve and make comfortable each other. They put each other ahead of self. Suddenly any personal infirmities don't matter so much. They are always glad to see each other, they enjoy spending time together without there necessarily being a purpose. They purposely seek to spend time with each other.

Do you have that kind of friendship with Christ? Do you have that kind of friendship with any other person? Christ seeks that kind of friendship with us, He is ready, He is standing at our doors knocking to see if we'll let Him in. Will we then be that kind of friend back to Him?

This is not to shame it is meant to cause reflection, we all know where we are in all our relationships and we all know we have shortcomings. Christ wants to be closer than a brother to us and we should be closer than a brother to Him as well as in our other relationships.

Christ called 12 and made them His friends on earth, and yet one betrayed Him. Others ran away, curious as to what He was doing, but keeping a distance and denying Him. Yet when He was risen and came back, His apostles were changed, they truly understood His friendship and it changed their life. Changed it to the point that most of them endured horrible deaths for the sake of His friendship.

Can we have the same friendship with Him? YES

Can that model our friendship to others? YES

Is it natural for us to be this kind of friend to Him and others? NO, in the natural we preserve our flesh, we focus on gratifying it. We do need His touch, His help to be the kind of friend to Him and each other we should be.

Help us Lord Jesus.