The Greatest Friend

You are My friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. John 15:14-15 (hcsb)

Take a minute to read John 15:9-17. This passage blows me away every time I read it.

Did you see it? Not once, but twice Jesus calls us His friends! For those who have chosen to trust Christ alone for their salvation, we enter into a special relationship with our Savior. For those who demonstrate this relationship through obedience and lives that produce fruit, He calls us “friend.” That sends chills up my spine every time I read it! A right understanding of this relationship is vital to enjoying joy, confidence, and security in our relationship with Christ. If we do not live out this truth in our lives, we live lives without passion, feeling, fire, and emotion.

The key to living this truth is first to believe it to be true, but then like all friendships, we want to nurture this relationship. Allow me to make a few suggestions for improving this relationship with Christ.

First, increase the time you spend together. We understand this in human relationships. The more time we spend together, the closer together we grow. The same is true in our friendship with Christ. I would add a caution at this point. Serving Him in frenzied activity does not equal time spent. We see this in the story of Mary and Martha. Martha was obedient in service, yet Jesus said Mary had chosen the best thing in simply spending time with Him.

Next, remove barriers that hinder the relationship. Of course, all the barriers in our relationship with Christ are on our side. We question His guidance, rebel against His commands, refuse to repent, and allow sin to creep into our lives in many other ways. The key is to immediately confess our sin and experience the forgiveness He has promised.

Finally, affirm the relationship verbally. Around our house, we say “I love you” frequently. We express our feelings out loud to each other. Even though I know my husband loves me, I never get tired of hearing him say it! The best friendships are the ones in which both parties frequently express their love for one another.

Father, thank You for making it possible for me to be Your friend. Thank You for making it possible through Jesus Christ to know You personally. I want to tell You today how much I love You! In Jesus’ name, amen.