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Seven words jumped off the page of my devotional Bible this morning while reading at the dinner table.

“Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend.”

My eyes have read over these seven words at least 26 times since I started an annual through-the-Bible-reading regimen in 1987.

But they never caught the significance of these words recorded in I Chronicles 27:33.

Until this morning.

David knew thousands of people.

David had many men whom he trusted to guard his life or his political interests or the wealth of his of kingdom.

Some of the men were likely with him several hours a day.

But he had one man who was known as “the king’s friend.”

Hushai the Arkite had to have been someone very special.

We can suppose that he was like that kid in your school growing up who always encouraged you, always helped you, always defended you, always wisely advised you and always made you glad to see them.

I did a bit of research of the Hebrew word used for “friend” in verse 33. In various forms, the word re-ah appears 183 times in the Old Testament and the prevailing sense of meaning is conveyed by an array of translation options listed in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance that include these words: brother, companion, husband, lover, neighbor, confidant.

We’re not talking about acquaintences here.

We’re not even talking about recurring-contact friendships.

Instead, we’re talking about very close relationships.

We’re talking about emotional intimacy.

The Hebrew masculine noun re-ah is also used in Proverbs 17:17 and gives us another picture of Hushai’s value to David.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

I’m glad that David had a re-ah friend like Hushai, someone who had set himself apart as particularly loyal, encouraging, helpful, wise and trustworthy. Someone who loved at all times, even in adversity.

Hushai’s intense, intercessory loyalty saved the day for David 2 Samuel 15-17 when a revolt was staged for awhile but then reversed in large part because of Hushai’s risking of his own life for the king.

Perhaps you’re longing for such a friend now.

Someone who will lay it all on the line for you.

Please keep praying that God will send one your way.

While you do that, though, please consider being such a friend to someone you know who needs encouragement, needs help, needs a defender, needs wise advice and wants someone they’re always glad to see.

God doesn’t promise us the perpetual presence of a “best buddy” person in this life. He does, however, call us to be the type of re-ah friend that shares His love and shines His light to those in need of caring friends.

That person you help just might become more open to the greatest Friendship he or she could ever have — a friendship with Jesus.

As always, I love you
Martin

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One Response to “Morning Devotion: That special re-ah friend”

  1. Elena Dominguez says:

    Thank you Martin, this was very helpful. I have a good friend and am going to forward this to her.

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