We all need a friend. We all need someone we can trust to be there for us when the rest of the world walks out. We need someone to encourage us and lift us up when all looks hopeless. We need someone to walk beside us when we feel alone.

I am so thankful for the friends God has given me throughout the years. Some have remained for a season, while others are lifelong. Even if we haven’t seen each other in ages, it’s like we haven’t been apart at all. Friends are a great blessing from the Lord.

There’s a Bible passage in I Chronicles 27:25-34 that lists King David’s officials. We are told in this list who was in charge of his royal storehouses, his farms and vineyards, his herds and flocks and property. We find out who his counselors were and the commander of his army.

But the line that really struck me was found in verse 33. It says, “Ahithophel was the king’s counselor. Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend.” Imagine being such a good friend to a king that you receive recognition among all the other royal officials!

We are told the story of Hushai’s faithful love to King David in 2 Samuel chapters 15-17. David’s son, Absalom, had rebelled against David in an attempt to steal the throne. In all the intrigues associated with a coup, David’s counselor, Ahithophel, abandoned David to become Absalom’s counselor. 

In the course of David fleeing the city of Jerusalem, David gave instructions to his trusted friend, Hushai, to go serve Absalom and to frustrate Ahithophel’s advice. The king also had two trusted priests who stayed behind, and Hushai was to tell them anything he heard in the palace to get word to David.

This would have been a life endangering position for Hushai, but as Proverbs 17:17 tells us, “A friend loves at all times.” With the Lord’s help, Hushai was able to carry out his instructions, and Absalom listened to his advice over Ahithophel’s, thus saving David’s life and the throne.

Proverbs 18:24 says, “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” In this case, the king’s friend stuck closer to him than a son and his trusted counselor. May we be such friends and have such friends.

Although most of us will never find ourselves in a position to be a friend to an earthly king, we all have the opportunity to be a friend to the King of kings and Lord of lords. This King is Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God. 

John 15:13 tells us, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” And that is exactly what Jesus did for us. He loves us beyond measure, and to prove His great love for us, He laid down His life for us. He suffered, died on the cross, and was raised back to life to open the way for us to experience eternal life. He is the only way to the Father.

How can we be a friend to this King of kings? Jesus desires us to love Him and wants to have an intimate relationship with us. We can not only know about Jesus through His word, but we can learn to know Him through prayer, worship and spending time in His presence. We can be a friend to the King.

Hope Ministries is a Christian counseling center, and we are here to help. If you would like to speak confidentially with someone, give us a call at 845-482-5300.