You’ve Got a Friend

Posted On August 28, 2022

“When you call to me, I will answer you.
I will be with you when you are in trouble.
I will save you and honor you.”

Psalm 91:15 GW

“You have a friend in high places.”

Max Lucado, Next Door Savior

As a boy, David was anointed as the future king of Israel. He was chosen by God and would someday become the greatest king Israel ever had. God knew this when He chose him. But He also knew it would not be easy on David. This seems to be a recurring theme in the Bible as well as in our own lives. As His followers, we, too, are chosen by God to accomplish a vital part of His plan. He gives us amazing promises about our future, and He gives us everything we need to fulfill our unique callings. But one promise He does not make is that it will be easy.

David’s troubles began right away. The current king, Saul, who at first took David into his service, soon grew jealous and turned against him. God had rejected Saul as king, but He was with David and blessed him with great success in battle. Saul grew afraid because “the Lord was with David” (1 Samuel 18:28 NIV). Rather than accepting God’s decision to replace him as king, Saul ordered David to be killed, and David was forced to run away and hide.

“As David fled from his home and ran from King Saul into the wilderness, he understood true loneliness. . . . he was driven into the solitary wasteland of En Gedi, with no provision or place to lay his head. This was when he cried out to the only One who would never abandon him — the Lord God.”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

David wrote Psalm 57 about this period in his life. He cried out to God, asking for mercy, but he also expressed his faith that God would follow through on His promises. Alone and in hiding, fearing for his life, it would be understandable for David to give in to despair. But he didn’t. Instead, he chose to praise God.

“I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords. . . .
My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music. . . .
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

Psalm 57:4,7,9-10 NIV

David knew he would be king someday, because God told him so. Therefore, no matter how dire the circumstances, David trusted in God’s provision and protection. When we read about David’s life in 1 & 2 Samuel, we see that the challenges he faced in his life are precisely what shaped him and prepared him for his calling, because they taught him to rely on God. That doesn’t mean they were easy. But David never lost faith in his God. And that’s what led him to greatness.

“I call out to God Most High—
to God, who comes through for me.”

Psalm 57:2 CEB

“Is anyone crying for help?
God is listening, ready to rescue you.”

Psalm 34:17 MSG

I’ve always admired David. He made a lot of mistakes, but he never gave up on his faith. He knew his place before God, and he trusted God with every aspect of his life, even the hardest times. I hope the same can be said of me someday. That’s why I strive to learn from his example. I pray that we all can.

When God calls to us and anoints us for His work, we are blessed and empowered to accomplish it. But we are also in for tough times. And often, those times will be lonely. Because when we are given a calling, it may not be something we can fully explain to others. They may not understand why we don’t just give up and take the easy way out. But this is when we must remember that we are never alone.

“Perhaps you’ve experienced a loneliness as profound and all-encompassing as David’s. However, even before you were born, the Lord knew that you would encounter this season and has a plan for leading you through it. His is as close as you will let Him be. Just like David, you have the privilege of calling out to God, asking Him to be the Friend, Protector, and Provider you need.”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

God had a plan for David, and he has a plan for us. We just have to trust Him, even when — especially when — we feel afraid and alone. David humbled himself before God, held on to faith in His promises, and praised Him no matter what the circumstances. He confidently trusted God to save him and provide for him. And he knew he was never really alone.

God used David’s struggles to prepare him to be the greatest king Israel ever had. And God has great plans for us as well. So when we are lonely, confused, or afraid, let’s do what David did. Let’s cry out to our God, cling to our faith, and praise Him with confidence. God, the all-powerful Creator of the universe, is our Friend, and He will always come through for us!

“Friend, the Lord is with you. So just like David, take heart.
And know better days are ahead.”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

This week’s Scripture passages remind us that God is always with us. He will guide us, protect us, and help us. Nothing can separate us from Him or from His love. So we have nothing to fear. Even when we feel alone in this world, we’re not. God is always there, and He is always working out His purposes for us.

Our Friend will never let us down. All we need to do is call out His Name, and He’ll come running. He’ll be there…

“Yours is the hand he loves to hold.”

Max Lucado, Next Door Savior

References:

• “James Taylor – You’ve Got A Friend (Live At The Beacon Theater).” YouTube, uploaded by James Taylor, 13 March 2013, https://youtu.be/a_wJV1FQlGM.
• Lucado, Max. Next Door Savior. W Publishing Group, 2003.
• Stanley, Charles F. God’s Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions. Thomas Nelson, 2020.

Images:

• Man Walking featured image by Karl Magnuson on Unsplash
• Sunlight through Dark Clouds image by Adam Kontor: https://www.pexels.com/photo/low-angle-photography-gray-sky-325117/
• Foggy Path image by Joe from Pixabay
• Reaching Toward Heaven image by Jonas Ferlin: https://www.pexels.com/photo/left-human-hand-photo-3025562/