Friendship With God
God is pursuing friendship with you.
Have you ever had a friendship you put energy into that never really progressed into the close friendship you hoped it would be? If only one person in the relationship is doing all the work, reaching out and pursuing the relationship, then it will only progress to a certain point. It is the same way with our relationship with God. He has done the work, and is pursuing a relationship with us.
When God created Adam and Eve, He walked with them in the garden. Have you ever wanted a parent or grandparent just to spend time and ask you how you are doing, and be interested in what is happening in your life? Well, I image this is what God was in the habit of doing with Adam and Eve before they sinned. The first part of Genesis 3:8 says that they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the cool mist of the evening breeze. We know the rest of the story:They hid from Him in their shame. The relationship wasn’t the same after that.
Everything that has happened since that time up to now has been for the purpose of restoring a relationship with us. God is not interested in being our acquaintance. He doesn’t want us to know Him from afar. He has done the miraculous by sacrificing His own son to remove our shame and guilt, so that we could come boldly into His presence once again.
If you can’t imagine God would want to be friends with you after all you’ve done, you can read His letter to you in the life of Jesus. He understands you may not comprehend His love for you, and He is not swayed by it. One way He has reached out to you, is by sending His Son to act on His behalf and demonstrate His character to you. When Jesus was on earth, He said, “If you want to know the Father, then observe me, because I only do what God the Father tells me to do.” And I n the story of the lost sheep, we see Jesus demonstrating God’s love and friendship.
Jesus treated sinners like old friends: By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religious leaders were not at all pleased. They complained, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story. Luke 15:1-3 MSG
Do not be tricked into believing you need to hide your shame from God.
He sees you: He loves you.
God’s way of fully restoring our friendship: “Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of His resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!” Romans 5:9-11 MSG
Prayer: Father God, I accept your amazing friendship. I don’t want to just know You from afar. There are areas in my life where I feel ashamed and want to hide, but I am choosing to trust you. Please draw me close today, so we can walk and talk together.
Growing in friendship with God,
Tami Gaupp
