Sunday Lessons: What a Friend we have!

Sunday’s sermon was just one of those uplifting messages that I don’t want to forget.  It is such a beautiful picture of God’s love for us.  We are immersed in a study of David, one of the most well-known figures in the Bible.  His story has so many twists and turns.  Why was such a man so highly favored by God?  Was it because he was perfect and holy and never sinned?  Absolutely not!  The Bible tells of how this man committed some of the worst sins known to man, including adultery and murder and failings as a father.  But for some reason, he was chosen to become the new king of the nation of Israel above the more seemingly acceptable and godly choice of Jonathan, David’s beloved friend and son of King Saul.  Does God only love the just and holy and perfect?  Absolutely not!  If He did, then who would He love?  Although David fell short on many occasions of living a holy and sinless life (as is to be expected from any of us), he chose to truly love and keep his faith in God through all of the challenges life handed him.  As he was hunted down by Saul’s men and driven away and separated from his true friend, he did not lose that faith.  He truly loved God.  I can only imagine that he had glimpsed the picture of the loving God that we can now know through Jesus.  I think it was harder in Old Testament times to see that picture because people had to overcome centuries of thinking and teaching of God (other religions don't teach of a loving god or gods who would sacrifice for humankind) as an authoritative, wrathful, jealous, vengeful judge without the picture of Jesus to help them see God as a loving father who wants to bridge the gap and welcome his children home.  I think it is often hard for people today to match the Old Testament picture of God with the New Testament picture of Jesus, God in human form, who showed love, mercy, forgiveness, and patience in his teachings and actions.  After all, the people of the Old Testament were still struggling to understand God as a true friend to everyone without the help of the picture that Jesus would later bring.  Jesus was truly a friend to everyone He met, but can we say the same of God?  I think David could.  He knew God on a more personal level, and he knew that God loved him despite all of his shortcomings.  God used David as He had used David’s ancestor, Abraham, to fulfill His promises and prepare the world for Jesus.  I guess I just liked this reminder that God was the same loving and forgiving God in the Old Testament that He was shown to be through Jesus in the New Testament.  When I try to discuss the view of God as shown in the New Testament with an unbeliever, I usually get the Old Testament thrown in my face because of all the old laws and rules that the people of those times were being taught they had to follow during a time when people were struggling to understand God as more than a harsh judge.  I am not a biblical scholar and don’t claim to be, but I've been hearing and reading these old Bible stories since I was a child.  I guess I just needed the reminder that God has been and always will be a friend to any that seeks Him! 

I also truly enjoyed reading further explanation of these differing pictures of God from sweet Jessica, the mother of precious Henry who is now in heaven with God.  Her picture of God continues to help her get through the hardest trials of life, and I know that it will bless others who read her words.  She is a very gifted writer, and I am so thankful she is sharing her journey with us.  If you have a few minutes free (I know most of us don’t but maybe you can steal some time from your daily social media allowance), I think you will be blessed by reading her words!