Friendship

DEVOTION

PROPHESIES AND FULFILLMENTS CONCERNING CHRIST

FRIENDSHIP

Ps 109:4

4 In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.

NIV

Who would not believe Jesus is a man of prayer? Of Course he is also the one who was accused. He was accused of doing miracles by the power of Satan. He was accused of being out of his mind, even by his brothers. He was accused of blasphemy by the Pharisees which ultimately brought about the plan he had come to do. Although Jesus did make some strong statements about the generation of vipers, or other strong words in an effort to reach their hearts and minds, he always loved them, enough to die for them. We know there were times he drew away from people to spend time in prayer. Some might think he may have always been praying about going to the cross, but it is also possible he was praying for those who persecuted him, such as the Pharisees. We know for sure that only once he prayed about going to the cross, but the other times we are not told of the content of his prayer. It would make sense since he has told us to pray for our enemies that he did.

Matt 5:44

44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

NIV

The prophecy says he was a man of friendship, but in return for being a friend he was accused. That would imply an enemy, who he prayed for. The first demonstration of how we are to live is in being a friend. That is we should not be a person of hate, bitterness, non-forgiving, revengeful or any other non-friendly attitude or behaviors. In fact, we are supposed to be a person of love and that is not just to those who love us. The rest of the words of Jesus in this fulfillment scripture tell us this truth.

Matt 5:43-48

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

NIV

What good is it if we just love those who love us, he says even the non-believers do that. Of course he is not saying that we can be perfect, although he is saying that. Within the context our perfection is in loving everyone, as God does. If Jesus is dwelling within us, living through us, then his love for everyone should be shining through us. We should not be having any ill thought about anyone. We should he seeing people as Jesus sees people, in need of salvation. We should be friendly to all people, smiling at them, enjoying them, allowing them to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit which the Spirit produces in our lives. They should be able to receive or take love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness and even self-control from us. Our lives should be about loving all people, no matter how they treat us. One of the better ways to love them is to pray for them. However, we should not be praying for God to strike them down, or to avenge the wrong they did to us. We should be praying that God will bless them, that he will send the Spirit, which is already has, to break through to them, to convict them of their need of repentance and Jesus. Our prayers should not only be about us, our situation, our need, our wants and desires. We should pray for our enemies, loving them as God does. We should greet them, be kind to them, and show them compassion. In fact, friends laugh together, play together, spend time with each other. If we are, like Jesus, offering friendship, them what does that mean? That might be difficult to do, but if we say we are followers of Jesus, then what should we do? We cannot avoid them, shun them, look down upon them or ignore them, we are to offer them friendship. We are people of God, people of friendship.