He's A Friend

From as far back as I can remember, I've always had an awareness of the presence of the Lord in my life.  I didn't feel His presence on a daily or hourly basis, but it was usually when I was alone or when I was being quiet and still.  Talking to God has always been like talking to a friend or family member, so I've always felt  comfortable and free to say whatever was on my heart.  When we are in Christ, striving to live a life of obedience, we are no longer considered servants, but we are called His friends (see John 15:14,15).  Seeing God as a friend, makes talking to Him so much easier.  We don't have to be afraid of Him in the sense that we are afraid to approach Him, but we are to reverence Him.  There is a difference. 

Over the years as I've come to know God more intimately, what I've discover is that He has somehow gotten a bad rap.  It seems that God is so misunderstood.  Sometimes our circumstances or the things we go through in life, leave us with a distorted view of Him.  I believe many people see God as One who sits high and looks down at us waiting to punish us for everything we do wrong.  But that is not the God I know, and He is not mean and angry towards us.  God is altogether wonderful.  He is loving, kind, merciful, compassionate, patient, giving, at times funny, absolutely approachable, and so much more.  Yes, He does correct us when we need it, but even in that He does it out of love, because God is Love. 

We all know what it's like to be misunderstood by people as they size us up and judge us based on things such as how we look, what we drive, where we live, how we walk and talk, what we do for a living, our educational background, and more.  And all of this happens before they ever took the time to get to know us.  It is the same with God, how can we know what He is really like and know Him as our friend if we don't spend much time getting to know Him?  Is it possible that you may have some misconceptions about God?  If so, they may be hindering your prayer life.  Getting to know the Lord more intimately requires that we toss aside our preconceived notions and approach prayer with a fresh new attitute.  As God reveals Himself to us, our view of Him will not be based on what someone else has said or on what we "think"about Him, we will know Him personally and from experience.  It is such a privilege to be God's friend and to be able to relax and let our hair down with Him.  He will never turn us away.  And even when we mess up and don't feel worthy to approach Him, He's always waiting for us with His arms out stretched in love.

Blessings always,

Kathy R Green