The Value of a Friend

Genesis 18:16-21

Having a friend is much different than having many people whom you are friendly with.  A friend is someone whom you care for as if they were family, someone you long to spend time with, someone that neither distance nor time separates your love; they are special, they are your friend.  Often because of that bond you try to protect your friend from anything that could bring pain into their life.  God has stated, Abraham is my friend, and God knows that the plans for Sodom and Gomorrah will bring great pain into Abraham’s life.  So the Lord ask this question, “The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

A friend does not keep quiet with that kind of information, yes it may cause some pain, but a friend does not keep secrets that will cause the other to distrust his friendship.  So the Lord lets Abraham in on what has been happening in heaven, someone has been before the throne of God making some bold accusations about the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.  “Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me.”

Tomorrow we will look into how we should engage our friend Jesus when He reveals truth that we know will bring pain into our life, it may be about a habit you or I have, or an area of pride that will require you or I to ask forgiveness, it could be an area of growth that will take you through some very deep waters.   In those cases, how should we act, and when is it going to affect someone we love?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice