Contents of this Post
Is it possible for an ordinary human to develop a personal friendship with God? If such a thing can happen, what do we know about it? What do you think?
From the guidance we get in the New Testament, friendship with God IS:
1. Possible
This is a major teaching – in fact a presumption – of the Christian and Hebrew Scriptures, and of much testimony down through the centuries in varied cultures. This possibility is held out to every last one of us.
2. Necessary
We are made for cooperation with God, and without it will find ourselves unfulfilled, under-satisfied, weakened in our efforts to make a contribution.
3. Productive
When a human develops a pattern of ongoing friendly working together with God, good things come from that, very good things – that are needed, and that would not otherwise occur.
4. Divine
Such a friendship brings into our ordinary human situations a definite Divine (Godly) influence, so that sometimes we become aware of a strong and pleasant influence being felt by people around us.
5. Personal
This friendship is personal in two ways.
- First, it involves persons, for we are persons and God is a person, so it is a personal relationship.
- Second, it involves us as individuals, we “personally” get to experience the presence of God in our lives.
6. Cooperative
To cooperate means to work together. The Bible says “we are workers together with God.” We pay attention to what God is doing, and how God does things, and God, in response and respect, “stoops down” to work with us in what we are doing. Life becomes a mutual project. Awesome! (See John 15:15 – 1 Corinthians 3:9 – 2 Corinthians 6:1.)
7. Costly
You cannot be long-term close friends with any person while at the same time supporting those who hate that friend, or supporting activities that destroy what that friend loves. To be close to God we will find that we need to now and then distance ourselves from some habits or attitudes that may have been pretty big parts of our lives up to that point. (See Call for Friends of Jesus to Speak Up.)
8. Love-Based
Friendship, with God or anyone, is a form of love; friendship is a part of love; love is part of friendship. As love grows the friendship grows. As the friendship grows, love intensifies.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Friendship, with God or anyone, is a form of love; friendship is a part of love; love is part of friendship. As love grows the friendship grows. As the friendship grows, love intensifies.” quote=”Friendship, with God or anyone, is a form of love; friendship is a part of love; love is part of friendship. As love grows the friendship grows. As the friendship grows, love intensifies.”]
Friendship with God requires that we be intentional about it; but when we are, it does happen, and it does grow. We truly are called to be friends of God. Then we discover what human life really can be – a great and joyful participation with God in The Big Plan – “God With Us.”
So – there are the eight adjectives that I picked.
What do you think we should consider adding to this list?