Lord's Day Devotion - Friend & Brother

Torah Proverbs 17:17

"At all times, love a friend, for he is born a brother for adversity."

NIV Proverbs 17:17

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."

Whether you are the 'friend' doing the loving of the 'friend' being love, this action is especially important during times of adversity.  Friends that don't run away at such times are true friends.  They are the friends of value.  They are like brothers who stand by.  It is good to be this sort of friend.

Yet in our humanness the bonds of friendship and brotherhood can get stretched to limits that have potential to break and sometimes do.  This is where we need another friend like this:

"...but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24NIV).

This friend is Jesus.  Is He your friend?  He can be today.  Accept Him as Savior and Lord of your life.

To those of us who have already become a friend of Jesus, know that He is the type of friend who,

"...will never leave you nor forsake you..." (Deuteronomy 31:8).

That was God saying it to the Israelites.  Jesus tells the disciples the same thing,

"I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

This is reiterated as a reminder in Hebrews 13:5,

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

This has been made possible through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.  As believers in Jesus, we have received His Holy Spirit who indwells each one of us (see Romans 8:11-14).  He's not going away!

We can therefore develop ever closer bonds with Jesus Christ our friend who will never leave nor forsake.  Let us partake of the broken bread and drink of the cup of wine this Lord's Day, keeping this in mind.  Because of all the great things He has done for us and because He will never let us go we can therefore turn to Him in our times of adversity as well as at all other times.  Love this Friend because He first loved you (see 1 John 4:19).  Tell Him everything and anything at all times.

Abba Father, thank You for the Friend we have in Jesus.  He bore so much for us and now He says He will never leave nor forsake us.  He loves us at all times showing that He is not a fair-weather friend.  This is so comforting and endearing.  I'm so grateful.  Thank You again, and again in Jesus my Friend who's not going anywhere's name.  Amen.

                                                   ~ERC  October 2023~

Based on Proverbs 17:17 Torah & Niv.

Sing, Faithful Friend, along with Sunrise Worship.