“The dearest friend on earth is a mere shadow compared with Jesus Christ.” ~ Oswald Chambers
Friends enrich our lives and are a gift from God.
There is, however, no friendship on earth that compares to the friendship we can have with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Friendship with God is available to all who believe in His son, Jesus. At the moment of salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to us, and we can then have close fellowship with Him (John 16:7).
Jesus invites us into a friendship with Him because He considers us to be His most intimate friends (John 15:15).
Having friendship with Him is still a choice we each have to make regularly. And as with any relationship, it is a two way street. We must be be willing to be intentional about nurturing it.
Being in fellowship with God Almighty, however, does not feel natural or comfortable. So, how do we walk in friendship with a God we can’t see, feel or hear? These 5 ways may help to strengthen this very special relationship.
1. Listen in love to Jesus
Did you know that listening is a loving act? When we take the time to pay attention to what someone has to say, we are giving them the message that they are valuable and cherished. Being a good listener with the Lord is is even more precious.
But how do we listen to God, when we can’t hear Him? Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” We listen to Him by spending time with Him. This means spending quality time in the secret place with Him, not only talking to Him, (prayer), but also making sure to be still enough to listen to Him.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, God tells us to “pray without ceasing.” I especially like how the Passion Translation says this verse: “make your life a prayer.” Having a continual conversation with Jesus throughout your day is another way to interact with the Lord. My prayer life consists of set apart times for specific intercessory prayers, but I also have an ongoing conversation with Jesus all day long.
Jesus is a friend that is right there with you because He lives inside every believer.
“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.“ ~ Matthew 6:6 (The Message Translation)
Listening to God is critical to our relationship with Him. He wants to lead us down the best pathway for our lives and if we can train ourselves to seek His wisdom we will make good choices for ourselves. Spending time in listening prayer is one way we can hear Him. And when we do this, we are loving Jesus, because listening is loving.
Friendship with the Lord requires a two way conversation. He wants us to hear Him too.
2. Care about Jesus’s heart
I care about every detail of my loved ones lives. It’s because I love them that what concerns them concerns me. We ought to feel this way about our friendship with the Lord too. We must care about Jesus’s heart.
But what does it mean to care about God’s heart? It means respecting what matters to Him and doing what pleases Him, as is written in His word, the Bible.
Being a doer of God’s word requires obedience. James 1:22 (MSG) tells us,” Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!” Being faithful to His commands is a form of honoring Him.
I agree with what author Susie Larson says in her book Prevail, “we cannot walk intimately with the Lord without reverently honoring Him at the same time.” I believe when we respond to God’s requests with joy, and not begrudgingly, we bless Him even more. Allowing His Holy Spirit to lead us in every area of our lives builds intimacy with Him. This means we may have to do things we don’t want to do.
Selfless love is what true friendship is made of.
3. Enjoy Jesus with childlike faith
I’m often told, “You see Jesus in everything,” or “Your faith brings Him into everything.” It’s true, I literally do see Jesus in everything. I can’t help it. Even when I’m cooking dinner, I’ll say, “Lord, would you please season this dish for me?” And He does. It’s amazing how delicious those meals turn out. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 18:2, that “Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom.”
Friendship with the Lord means genuinely enjoying Jesus’ presence and having fun with Him.
He cares about us unconditionally, and His love is amazing, so why not be crazy about Him? Our friendship with the Lord is the most secure relationship we have, and in this unpredictable world that is something to cherish.
4. Have confidence that Jesus knows and loves you authentically
I have always felt being a parent is an advantage in better understanding God’s love for us. As a mother, my love for my children is deep and unconditional. There is nothing my children can do to change my love for them. They may disappoint me, but that still won’t change my love for them. My love is human, but God’s love for His children is divine. As much as I love my children, God loves us, His children, a million times more. Ephesians 3:18 says, “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”
Jesus goes above and beyond in His love for us
Since He is a big God, it can feel challenging to believe He cares for “little ol’ me.” It’s critical to believe that He does though, as it is a key factor in having intimacy with Jesus. Having this type of assurance takes faith. As Christians we walk by faith in all areas of our walk with Jesus. We believe in Christ by faith, we read His word by faith, and so, we must also believe in His personal love for us by faith.
God sees us, knows us and cares deeply, about every detail of our lives.
5. Be real with Jesus
Having a friendship with the Lord is especially difficult in times of suffering and brokenness. I’ve noticed that when life becomes challenging and things don’t go the way one hoped, people get disappointed with God and often walk away from faith in Him. This is truly a tragedy. We can be upset with Jesus but we have to determine in our hearts to stick it out with Him and stay committed. Trusting Him means allowing Him to carry you through thick and thin.
He sees your heart anyway, so just be real with Him. If you are angry with Him, tell Him.
I have been upset with God at different times in my life. I remember one incident when my husband and I were separated and I wanted a divorce. Since I couldn’t get God’s blessings on taking this step, I literally yelled at Him,”why are you putting me through this?” I am so grateful that He didn’t give me His blessings because today, my husband and I are very content together. Praise be to the Lord! The point is, God knows how you are feeling, so just be real with Him. After all, honest communication is critical to any intimate relationship.
Friendships are hard, but Jesus is a friend that never leaves us. Since every friendship is a two way road, we must learn to love on Jesus with joy, enjoy His presence, and be confident in His love for us. Being authentic with Him at all times will make our friendship with Him more real. Let us align our hearts with His by caring deeply for what He cares about.
“God doesn’t want to be appeased. He wants to be loved, honored, followed, and even enjoyed.” ~ Susie Larson
Friendship with the Lord is truly the most beautiful friendship we could ever have. May we strive for it, delight in it, desire it all the days of our lives.
“. . .I call you my most intimate friends. . .” ~ Jesus (John 15:15)
This was absolutely beautiful! Thank you
Thank you so much dear sister. Love you so.
I had not realized how much His word calls us to friendship as you display here. Sometimes being “God” can make Him seem far away, but the idea of God as our friend is much more intimate and personal. Just the way He wants it!
Thanks for this great reminder.
Thanks Will! I appreciate your constant support of my writings. Love you. 🙂
Thanks Tweeny! Loved reading this and very inspired!
Thank you Julie. It blesses me so much to hear you were inspired by my writing. Love you sister.