Daily Devotional For Friday, May 30, 2025
Have you ever heard the song, “It’s a small world after all?” Not only is it a song, it is an amusement ride at Disneyland in California as well as Disney World. With technology, our world seems to have become smaller over time. For example, jet engineers at a jet engine propulsion company have now developed jet engines that can cause a plane to fly at supersonic speeds with passengers, so that you can get from New York City to Paris in 55 minutes. Can you believe that?
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Six degrees of separation?” It’s the theory that any two people on the earth are no more than six connections apart. It is used as a party game, to create business networks, and as the plot for movies. We read this in James 2:23, “And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God’” (NLT). We even sing a song at Southside titled, “I Am A Friend of God.”
Some people approach their connection to God this way – that is with the hope of “six degrees of separation.” They hope that if their father worked with a woman whose sister was married to a man whose father was a preacher, that’s good enough. That’s a little silly, but there are many people who are counting on their “connections” to get them into Heaven. While family members and friends can introduce us to Jesus, we alone are responsible for initiating and maintaining that relationship.
Through his obedience, Abraham gave us an example of a personal relationship with God that speaks to us through its simplicity. I hope the same can be said of you: You believed God. God counted it to you as righteousness, and you are called a friend of God. We do not know whether Abraham’s response was immediate or came after some thought, or whether it was verbal or mental, but we do have this immortal record. “Old Testament scholar H. C. Leupold writes this:
“The word “believed” here “the biggest word in the chapter, one of the greatest in the Old Testament!”—noting that it is the first instance of the word believe in Scripture! Its emphasis, says Leupold, is the permanence of Abraham’s trust. The patriarch rested everything on God’s word and kept on resting in faith. As a result he was declared righteous apart from works, fourteen years before circumcision (Genesis 17) and hundreds of years before the Law!” (Source: H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis, pp. 476-477).
The patriarch rested everything on God’s word and kept on resting in faith. As a result he was declared righteous apart from works, fourteen years before circumcision (Genesis 17) and hundreds of years before the Law! Writing about this, New Testament scholar Kent Hughes writes this: “
The biggest word in the chapter, one of the greatest in the Old Testament! Here is the first instance of the use of the word “believe” in the Scriptures. The Hebrew words mean “to confirm” and “support,” which means “trust,” “believe,” implying fiducia rather than assensus. It is construed here with an unusual Hebrew form. Apparently, by doing this, the author is indicating the permanence of this attitude is to be stressed: not only: Abram believed just this once, but: Abram proved constant in his faith….” (Source: Kent Hughes, Preaching The Word Bible Commentary, “James,” pp. 116-117).
Meaning that Abraham put his faith in God even before he knew where this would eventually lead him – being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, the promised son, the son of the covenant. The word friend here is the same Greek New Testament word Jesus uses in John 15:14. The Scripture that James is referencing here is Genesis 15:6. The point here is clear: acting out our faith and trust in God wherever He leads us, creates a friendship with God. What we believe about God makes a difference. That is why reading your Bible is so important. It provides the pathway to knowing God and fostering belief in Him.
Assignment: Reflect a moment. How would you rate your friendship with God? Why? How do you think God would rate it? Why? If there is a difference, what does that tell you and how should you reconcile these differences?
Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 4:1-3, “Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? (2) If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. (3) For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith’” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, I declare this day that I believe! If there is any area of doubt within me, I ask You to help my unbelief. Thank You for making me righteous with Your righteousness. Thank You for the honor and privilege of being called Your friend. Lord, I want to live a life of faith and trust as Abraham did so that You consider me Your friend. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly