Have You Ever Had a Friend Like This?

Imagine this situation, or maybe you’ve actually lived through this.

 

You have a friend who calls and asks to get together because she is going through a tough time. You drop what you’re doing, and you meet her at the local coffeehouse. She shares with you what she is dealing with and asks for your help. You care for your friend, so you do all you can to help her.

  You call your friend to see how she’s doing, but you get her voicemail and have to leave a message asking how she’s doing. You hear from a mutual friend that she is doing better, so you call again to let her know how happy you are for her and that you’d love to get together, but she still doesn’t call you back.   A month later, you get a call from that same friend telling you she needs you, she’s in trouble, and hurting. You once again agree to immediately meet her. You help her, you pray for her, and then you don’t hear from her for a few months, even though you call several times.   Imagine if this cycle continued. How would this make you feel? Would you be sad that she only reached out to you during a crisis? Would you wish for a more meaningful and intimate relationship? Would you wonder how important you really were to your friend since she only reached out when her life was at its worst?   I wonder if God is ever saddened by our relationship with Him. Deut 4:24 tells us that God is a jealous God. He doesn’t want us to put other things and people ahead of Him. He doesn’t want to be our last resort when life is too tough and no one else can help. He wants to be the one we run to with good news, the one we turn to when we don’t know what to do, and the one we draw close to when we are sad. He wants this from us because He knows He is the only place we will find lasting joy, peace, purpose, and unconditional love.   Matthew 11:28, "Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."