A Friend of God
by David Cross
While reading the manuscript of a book about covenant, being written by my friend Jim, I was impacted by his highlighting of God’s deep desire to have true friendship with His people. When making covenant with Abram, God joined His name into this man’s name, creating an intimate and enduring bond that would have worldwide implications.
From that moment, because of this joining in a divine bond, if anyone became a friend or an enemy of Abraham or his descendants, they would be making themselves a friend or an enemy of God, with all the consequences of that choice. We indeed see the reality of hostility towards the descendants of Abraham to this day, and the associated enmity towards the God of the Bible, but God will always remain firm in His covenant promise of standing with His people.
James also recalls the powerful truth of this deep covenantal friendship that has always been God’s heart for His people: ‘Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called a friend of God’ (James 2:23). And in the fullness of God’s planned relationship with mankind, through the New Covenant, we see Jesus specifically saying to His first disciples (and therefore to us today), “I no longer call you servants, but friends” (John 15:15).
My friend Jim says in his book that this is God’s master love-plan through the New Covenant: our restoration back into His circle of friends, and it’s something He achieves without any help from us. It simply requires our willingness to be His friend, through His Son.
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
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