Friendship With God?

The theme of 'Friendship with God" is my point of reflection this morning.  The first thing I think about is Moses, of whom it was said, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent." (Exodus 33:11 NIV).  I guess we could say that the quality of relationship, and specifically communication, is key to friendship.  

Jesus, in a similar exchange promoted the Apostles form servants to friends in John 15:13-15 NIV:

[13] "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] 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 learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Again, we see a level of intimacy and communication that seems to be the defining characteristic of friendship with the Lord!  In the verses from John, Jesus continues on and talks about how He chose them, and clearly Moses was chosen by God as well, so we could say that friendship with God in initiated by Him.  I am reminded of some significant verses from Paul from his letter to the Ephesians, saying that God,  "chose us in Him before the creation of the world" (Eph 1:4 NIV). This choosing is indicative of His desire for relationship.  Jesus finished his discourse to the Apostles found in John 15-17 with the following statement, speaking about the Father - John 17:26 NIV:  "I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Clearly to have relationship and friendship with anyone, whether speaking about God or another person, there must be communication.  All of these verses speak of personal communication, and it is always two-way communication.  I was doing a quick bit of research about friendship as it is defined in the Bible and came upon this quote, which I thought was helpful.  "In both Testaments the ideas of friend and friendship involve three components: association, loyalty, and affection. There are also three levels of meaning: friendship as association only; friendship as association plus loyalty; and friendship as association plus loyalty plus affection." ( Https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/friend-friendship/).  

I believe that this is the invitation we all have, in the Lord, to real friendship, to experience a two-way relationship that is defined by association, loyalty and affection.  For this to be true, we must be able to offer to the Lord these qualities, and experience them back from Him. 

Wow, that really made me stop and think.

Have I offered these things in my pursuit of Him?  

Have I been found near Him?  

Do I like to hang out with Him?  

Do I act like Him?

Have I been loyal to Him?  Even when I haven't understood, or questioned Him?

Has He been the object of my affection?

I also stopped to reflect on whether I have experienced these from the Lord?  

Does He associate with me?  How have I experienced that?

Is He loyal and faithful to me?  When can I say that I have encountered Him in this way?

Has He expressed affection for me?  How does He do this, how does He show affection?

I could write at length about each of these questions, but this morning I am just going to leave them as questions.  I want to let these percolate in my heart and mind today, causing me to bring to remembrance my interactions and experiences with Him, as well as my own actions and words.

I want to allow this invitation, this open door, if you will, to draw me and make me aware of the quality of my relationship with Him!

Lord, help me to see truthfully where I am and where I am going, in You.

Amen!