Isaiah 41:8-9. “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art My servant: I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.”
Following His description of the Gentiles trying to seek their gods to defend and protect them against Cyrus, God turns His attention to His people, Israel. He tells them again that they are His chosen ones, descended from His friend, Abraham.
I have pondered many times on God’s use of the word friend as God applied it to Abraham. The Hebrew word, ahab, denotes having a strong affection for, or love for, someone else. To be a friend of God is to have strong affection for Him, to love Him especially compared to any other relationship one may have.
Many times, Israel has been blessed as a nation because of their relationship with such men; men who loved God above all others. Abraham and David have both been especially named by God as friend and man after God’s own heart. Not only has Israel been blessed for the sake of such men, but indeed the whole world. It was from the line of David that Jesus Christ was born. He was the instrument of our salvation, available to Jew and Gentile alike.
It is no light thing to be named as the friend of God.
Linda's Bible Study 
The Apostle Peter really struggled with the fact that Gentiles could be included into the inheritance of believers. I stressed that this morning in my devotional group. We Gentiles tend to think that originally the plan was for everyone, but it was, and remains a specified promise to the nation Israel. I am one very thankful Gentile living in the age of grace.
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Thanks for your insights, Karyl. Much appreciated.
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