Is Jesus Your Friend? What Abraham's Faith Teaches Us
"And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness' — and he was called a friend of God." — James 2:23 (ESV)
I've been studying James for the past few months, and something struck me as I read James 2:23. I wrote this in my journal: "God made Abraham His friend. Question: Do I create room in my heart and life for that kind of friendship with God?"
That question stayed with me. In my daily life, do I make space for closeness with God that would cause Him to call me friend? I had to admit — I don't always make that room. Life gets busy, distractions pile up, and before I know it, I've squeezed God to the margins instead of giving Him the center.
And when I looked at Abraham's life, I realized the room I was seeking isn't built by effort — it's built by faith.
Here's what struck me about Abraham. James isn't saying Abraham earned God's friendship by doing the right things. He's saying Abraham believed God — and that belief was so real and so deep that it moved him to act. When God told him to leave everything and go to a land he'd never seen, Abraham went (Genesis 12:1-4). When God asked him to offer Isaac, he obeyed again (Genesis 22). His faith wasn't passive. It was active, built on trust, and shaped how he lived.
And that's where the friendship came from. Not from performance. Not from getting everything right. It came from a heart so anchored in trust that God called him friend. Abraham cultivated a life oriented toward God — not perfectly, but faithfully. He built altars. He talked with God. He followed even when the path didn't make sense. The friendship grew within those Christ-centered rhythms of daily faithfulness.
So the question for us isn't "are we doing enough?" It's "are we trusting deeply enough for it to shape how we live?" Friendship with God starts with faith — the kind that makes room for Him, not out of obligation but out of a genuine desire to know and walk with Him.
Big Idea
Friendship with God begins with faith and deepens through the daily rhythms of a heart turned toward Him.
Questions to Ponder
Do you make room in your heart and life for a deep friendship with God? This question can be as heart-probing as you want it to be. It's not about doing more or trying harder — it's about the condition and focus of your heart. When you look at Abraham's faith, what stands out to you? Is your faith the kind that moves your feet, or has it become more passive than you'd like?
Application
In your quiet time, ask the Lord to show you ways to deepen your friendship with Him. Ask Him to reveal one specific area where you can make more room for Him — not by adding to your checklist, but by turning your heart more fully toward Him. Whatever He reveals, act on it. Faith that deepens friendship is faith that moves.
Before the Lord — a daily devotional by Blake S. Crawford. Read more and subscribe free at blakescrawford.com/before-the-lord.