There is a popular sitcom on NBC about 6 friends who stick it out thru thick and thin thru the years or at least the last 9 seasons this far. That's what true friends do. Proverbs 17:17 tells us that "a friend loveth at all times". We all need and want friends like that.

Exodus 33:7-11
7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.
10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Notice that anyone could go to the tent and speak to God. But, when Moses went to the tent, God came down to meet him. He came down not as father and son though he is our Heavenly Father or Abba Daddy. Nor did he come down as a master and slave though Paul and others often referred to themselves as His slaves or bondservants. Rather He came to Moses as a friend - a companion. Wow!

The real wow is that has been His intention all along. God came down to the Garden looking for Adam. Before the fall, Adam walked with God in Eden. God didn't create us just to be obedient worshippers but to be His friends.

Moses was not God's only friend. Surely Adam, Enoch, and Elijah who walked and talked with Him were friends although the scripture doesn't use that word to describe their relationship. Abraham is called "the friend of God" three times in scripture (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 3:23 )

On earth Jesus was a friend to many. He called Lazarus "our friend" in John 11:11. The Lord wept over him. Then in Luke 12:4, Jesus referred to his disciples as "my friends". Of these, John was probably his best friend being the "disciple whom Jesus loved". For these friends, He washed their feet. I haven't read a version yet that excludes Judas from this group. In fact, at his betrayal he calls Judas "friend" in Matthew 26:50. He called the man as he was turning him over to die a friend. Why? Because Jesus loves us all and that’s what a friend does he loves us at all times no matter what we do because like Proverbs 18:24 says, "there is a friend who sticketh closer than a brother". In fact it's noted in Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34 that the Pharisees "referred to Jesus as a friend to sinners". And for these friends, the sinners like me, what did he do? He died for them; he gave His own life for us.

A small boy once defined a friend as "Someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same." Jesus was that friend. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 )

Jesus knew the key of being a friend. That key is not found in asking, "What can I get out of this relationship?" Rather it is found in wondering, "What can I do for you?" He knew how to be a true friend. Proverbs 18:24 says we must be friendly to have friends.

If we desire to not just have God as a friend but to be His friend then we can look back to Moses' lead.

Exodus 33:12-14
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

He asks "Show me your way so I can do it to please you God" The Amplified Version of verse 13 says, "Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight..." Jesus also tells us that this is the way to be God's friend.

John 15:13-15
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

A man named "Calgary Bob" Edwards once said it like this, "The difference between a friend and an acquaintance is that a friend helps; an acquaintance merely advises." You have to desire to help God. Or prayers should not be "God you really ought to save that person", "God such and such needs done" or even "God be with so and so in this hard time". Rather we need to earnestly pray "God guide me to speak with that person about you" and "God guide me in doing this thing for you" as well as "God be with so and so thru me in this hard time"

Theare are three things to being God's friend. First we must obey just like Jesus said in the verses we just read. Second we shouldn't just talk to him all but invest the time to listen. one way to listen is to just read the words he inspired, study, and reflect upon them. It has been said, "The best way to form a friendship is to become interested in other people, not by trying to interest people in you." Lastly, show the same loyalty to God that Thomas showed to Jesus. John 11:16 records Thomas saying, "OK Jesus I'll go with you and we'll all die together!" He pledged to stick by Jesus no matter what might happen. Thomas gets a bad wrap for being a doubter but he was never a fair-weather friend; he was loyal.

One great thing about being friends is that we often become like them. Years ago I was really into heavy metal but as I became better friends with a guy named Stan I grew to like country music more and more until that was all I listened to. Wouldn't it be great if we were so close to God that people began to see Him in us – to see His characteristics in us?

We all should seek to not just be content being obedient Christians, complacent in coming to Church week after week but truly strive to be a friend of God. I want to be a friend of God so He'll come down to meet me when we talk together. Isn't that awesome!