He is Lord over all Lords, King over all kings, and those with Him will be the called, chosen, and faithful.
Revelation 17:14
Family. You’re born into one. You may marry into one. You give birth to one. They’re the people we’re the closest to. We know them, and they know us. When it comes to parents, grandparents, in-laws, and children, we don’t have a lot of choice in the matter. If you want to be nice about it, you could say God chooses our family for us; in His wisdom he places us where we belong. If you’re more pessimistic, you could say we’re stuck with our family. We can’t get away from them. We are theirs, and they are ours―for better or for worse.
But what about friends? While families are birthed, friends are chosen. We have some say in who we want to get close to as a friend. Friends are the people we hang around with because we like them. Friends are the people we trust because they’ve earned our trust. Friends are the ones who know us best because we’ve let them see us for who we really are.
We know we’ve become a part of God’s family. He’s our Heavenly Father, and we’re his daughters. We know we belong. But isn’t it even more precious to know that we can be friends of God? Not just born-again, not just adopted, but chosen as an individual to become a true friend of His.
1. Who was the first man in Scripture to be called a friend of God, according to James 2:23?
2. It’s one thing to have history call you a friend of God. What is God’s direct statement, recorded for us in Isaiah 41:8?
3. What was Moses able to do, a little later down the time line, according to Exodus 33:11?
4. God chose to get close to certain men. He walked in the Garden with Adam. He spoke directly to Noah. He considered Abraham to be His friend. Who did God chose in Acts 9:15?
5. Friends are chosen. We were chosen. How does 1 Peter 2:9 describe us?
Some of us make friends more easily than others. For the outgoing gal, everyone’s a friend. We can’t stet foot outside our house without stopping to chat with someone we know from somewhere along the way. For the quiet type, making friends takes time, and there are just a few who know us well enough to be called a friend.
Jesus knew the important of having a circle of friends. He surrounded Himself with a dozen men throughout the years of His ministry. Of those twelve, three became even close―Peter, James, and John are sometimes called Christ’s inner circle. That’s just another way of saying they were His best friends. We need friends to. Friendship matters.
6. What proverb, found in John 15:13, did Jesus fulfill?
7. What did Jesus consider to be a mark of our friendship with Him, according to John 15:14?
8. As we continue through this passage, what distinction did Jesus make in John 15:15?
9. According to Ephesians 1:6, what has God’s grace done for us?
Ponder and Pray
Friendships develop over time―time spent together. Things move from small talk and the weather to personal history and opinions to feelings and struggles as trust is built. What kind of friend are you to God? Do you give Him quick updates now and again―chitchat, breaking news, urgent needs? Or is he your close friend and confidant? As you ponder and pray your way through the week, consider just what it means to be a friend of God.
Excerpted with permission from Receiving God’s Goodness, ©2006 Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of Receiving God’s Goodness, click here.
