John 15:12-17
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
We all have attributes in a friend that we value. Initially a friend may be someone who makes you laugh or someone with whom you have shared interests and camaraderie. When a friendship deepens, a friend becomes someone with whom you can trust to share the vulnerable places of our heart, or someone you know will be there for you when things are hard. Our human friendship may ebb and flow through different seasons of life as our interests change or as we grow and change. It takes intentionality for friendships to stand the test of time.
Jesus has characteristics he looks for in a friend as well. He describes his friendship as one he shares his plans with. He has extended an offer of friendship to us through our personal relationship with him. As believers we have access to him when we invite him into our hearts. He offers us his presence and he promises to never leave us or turn away from us. He is always working on behalf and there to help us with our every need. He offers us freedom, salvation, guidance, joy, and unconditional love. In our friendship, he does the heavy lifting. He offers us so much more than we could in return. What blesses him is our obedience to his word and to love like he does.
We often become like our friends. Friendship with Jesus should be no different. Spending time with him, learning about him, reading his word, should naturally change us. Friendship is developed and learned. We have an opportunity to shed our chains of slavery and walk in friendship with Christ. In friendship, he shares his plans and his heart with us. Our friendship with God should reshape us to look like him, act like him, and love like him. Friendship with God is where life changing transformation propels us into our God given gifts and abilities so that we can work with him to grow and advance his Kingdom. In friendship we choose to do things together out of love, not obligation. God does not feel obligated to be with us or help us or love us. He chooses us, willingly pursues us, and invests in us out of love. We get to do the same when we respond with faith and obedience.
Jesus modeled friendship through radically demonstrating love wherever he went. He chose the most unlikely to be his friends: fishermen, tax collectors, the demon possessed, the unclean, the crippled, prostitutes, lepers, even little children. Jesus didn’t wait for them to get cleaned up or get their act together to be their friend, but he met them right there as they were. In their sin, brokenness, and place of need, Jesus showed them love, and gave them freedom. He extended friendship first with interpersonal connection and then through healing them where they were most vulnerable.
Attributes of friendship God values from us are faith and obedience. Faith lets God know we believe him and in him. Faith says I know you are with me and have my back. I trust you and your word. I believe you keep your promises. Obedience says I want to work with you and be a part of who you are. I know you want the best for me and for others. I want to love like you and partner with you. We demonstrate our friendship through how we live our lives and how we love others. Just as he extends and exemplifies friendship to us, we then extend love and friendship to the world around us. There is nothing more precious than being called a friend of God and he calls YOU his friend!
Listening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, reveal the areas of my life where I need to grow in my friendship with God. Is there any area of my life where I am operating as a slave instead of a friend? Are there any lies I am believing that are preventing me from walking in freedom and friendship with you? Pray as the Holy Spirit directs.
Prayer:
Lord, what an honor it is to be your friend. I thank you that you have designed me to know you intimately, to hear your voice, and live my life for you. I want to have a deeper friendship with you. I repent for the ways I have withheld friendship from you. Teach me to be your friend. I renounce and break agreement with any lies I believed that have kept me from walking in your freedom and in friendship with you. Reveal your truth to me and set me free. I choose to walk in your truth. Help me in the areas where I struggle with unbelief. Grow my faith. Help me to let go of my selfish ambitions so I can walk in obedience to you. Lord, I want to love like you. Increase my capacity to love. Help me to see others through your eyes and value what you value. As I walk in friendship with you, may my life bear much fruit for your Kingdom. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resource: Bible Verses on Friendship With God
Psalm 25:12-14
“Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”
James 2:22-23
“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ;Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God.”
John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”