His Friends

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

(John 15:14, NKJV)

 A friend is a gift and each one of us longs to have genuine friends.  Many people along our journey of life are acquaintances, but few are true friends who look out for our good and whom we can fully trust.  It is said that one has friends for different purposes. It is a privilege to be considered a friend and to be a friend to another, friends are part of an individual’s social wealth which we all need.  The choice of a friend is important and unfortunately, it is possible that the individuals one considers as friends, do not consider him a friend in turn.  This imbalance, whatever the cause, could lead to betrayal and deep hurts.

Jesus in our reference verse, talking to His disciples in John 15, a powerful chapter with deep revelation, called His disciples His friends.  His condition is only one, that they do whatever He commands.  In the following verse, He clarifies that He no longer called them servants for servants do not know what the master is doing, but for the disciples, He called them friends because He had made them know all what the Father had told Him (John 15:15).  We are the followers of Jesus today and so these words apply to our lives, a revelation which is humbling and worth some heart reflection.  Jesus was clear about His expectations of His friends and what He required of them, that they would do His will.  He even reminds them that they did not choose Him, but that He chose them for the singular purpose that they should bear fruit for the Father’s Kingdom (John 15:16), as a result of being chosen.  Once they did the Father’s will, then whatever they asked of the Father in the name of Jesus, would be granted.  Jesus did not just give His expectations but also gave His promise which should empower and encourage us to step out in full confidence of His backing.  Clearly, we understand God’s side of this friendship and maybe it is time we asked ourselves what our part is.

Friends are confidants with whom we have trust and operate in honesty and goodwill.  God has chosen us and in so doing, He has trusted us in this relationship.  We have seen how He deals with those that He has called friends like Abraham who is said to have been a friend of God (James 2:23, Isaiah 41:8); Moses was also a friend of God (Exodus 33:11); and Enoch who walked with God so that God took him away (Genesis 5:24).  When we study these individuals, it was clear that they had such a personal relationship with God so that they knew Him more than others in their lifetimes.  God shared His secrets with them, we see God saying that He could not hide from Abraham what He was about to do in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:17); for Moses we note that while others knew God’s doing, Moses knew God’s ways (Psalm 1037).  Beloved, these men tell us that God can relate to man as a confidant, and this is the relationship I want to have with Him.  To develop any deep friendship, one has to invest in time and there is also a step of commitment having made a decision to pursue the relationship.  The Bible gives us God’s word and the Holy Spirit who lives in us teaches us His ways, ours is to commit to learn and follow.  Israel Houghton has written and sang a beautiful song: “Friend of God”, the cry of every believer’s heart.  The song says that God calls me a friend. Jesus told us that we are His friends if we DO what He commands.  That my beloved, is the yardstick of measuring if we are truly friends of God, if He calls us His friends lest we are deluded.

Thoughts

Are you a friend of God?

What has He shared with you from His heart?

How are you nurturing this priceless gift of friendship with God Almighty?