F is for Fear and Friendship

"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant." Psalm 25:14

Remember when those "Jesus is my homeboy" t-shirts became super popular. I was in high school volunteering at a faith-based day camp and all the counselor loved 'em. Everyone loved it but me. I didn't voice out my opinion but it just didn't sit right with me.

He's not my homeboy, he is my Creator and my Savior. He is many things to me and I call him friend. I go to him and cry to him like a friend, but Jesus is not my homeboy.

Verse fourteen alludes to this very point that God reserves friendship to those who fear him. He will be friends with those who consider him his "homie" but those who do so, sell themselves short in what their friendship with God could be. A big key is reverence and having a reverent fear towards God.

The kind of fear described is not that of a prisoner or slave. That kind of fear is that of torment, anxiety, hurt, resentment and hate.

The kind of fear described is more that of a reverent son.  A son who loves and respects his father because his father loved him first. A son who eagerly wants to please his father and make him proud. Make sense? Cool.

Now this is just the beginning of the kind of reverent fear described above. Multiply this type of "reverent son fear" with the head knowledge of who God is, what he has done (since Genesis), and the heart knowledge of what he has done in your own life.

We first came to God because we needed a Savior, a God, a redeemer and more. And through this, he offers friendship and reveals his promises to us.

"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant." Psalm 25:14

As you read Psalm 25, remember that it is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. So if you read it and feel like the Psalmist is a little all over the place, or like it's choppy, that's why. I'm sure it makes us all wish we could read this in its original language and hear it as a true acrostic.

Happy Reading, Happy Friday and I am happy to be your sister with a Loving Father who calls us friend.
(Not homeboy!)