For most people God is so transcendent that the idea of friendship with Him must be farfetched. It is just not possible in real life, is it? What does the bible say about it?
Well, it is significant that all bible’s references to God’s friendship with man convey either God’s own statement or quotation of it. The first reference is in 2Chronicles 20:7, King Jehoshaphat praying, “O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?”
How did he know that Abraham was God’s friend? Isaiah 41:8 tells us: God himself is speaking to Israel, “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend”. Note that God himself calls Abraham “my friend”. How would you like God calling you friend? Yes, a human being could be God’s friend.
In Isaiah God seems to distinguish between servant and friend. Israel is God’s servant, but Abraham is God’s friend. Therefore, a servant is not a friend. Interestingly, we find the same distinction being made in the New Testament as well.
John 15:15, the Lord Jesus [Emmanuel or God is with us] speaking to his close disciples, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you”.
A servant is not friend, but one starts as servant prior to being promoted to friendship with God. Hence, verse 14 of the same chapter states: “You are my friends if you do what I command.” Note that the fact that he goes on telling them in verse 15 that he no longer calls them servants is his way of (1) acknowledging that, so far in their journey, they had no problem with doing what he commands, and, (2) urging them to maintain the friendship by continuing to do the same.
It is a great privilege to be God’s friend, indeed. God’s friend knows God’s business because God reveals it to him/her. Remember, Sodom and Gomorrah? Genesis 18:17, “Then the Lord said, ‘shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” It sounds like the Lord Jesus telling his close disciples, “…everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Let me urge us to pursue friendship with God by consistently aiming at, and doing, what He commands (his will), that is, seek to please him as to have Him describe us one day, as he described king David, as men, women, and children after God’s own heart. In this we need his grace daily.
Lord work in us to desire after your friendship, in Jesus Christ’s name.
