Imagine – God Invites Us to Be His Friend

One of my favorite worship choruses goes like this: “I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God, He calls me ‘friend.’” The lyrics are simple but the truth they teach is profound.

Mind-boggling opportunity

Imagine being a friend of God…the Creator of all that exists…the One who calls the stars by name…the One who knows how many hairs are on our heads…the One for whom nothing is impossible. Imagine being His friend…not just a mere acquaintance, but one who has a close and intimate relationship with Him…and that at His invitation! Doesn’t that just boggle your mind?

How is this friendship possible?

James 2:22-24 tells us the secret:

²²He (Abraham) was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did – his actions. ²³And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: ‘Abraham believed God and so God declared him to be righteous. He was even called ‘the friend’ of God. ²⁴So you see, we are made right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.”

Trust is key

One of the most important aspects of true friendship is trust. If I say my husband is my best friend but I don’t trust him around other women or with our finances, then our friendship leaves a lot to be desired.

In the spiritual realm, we can say God is our friend but if I can’t trust Him enough to do what He says, then I don’t really know Him and our friendship is shallow.

Abraham was a friend of God because he trusted Him implicitly, as revealed by his obedience. When I read these words, something welled up inside me that cried,

“I want to be Your friend, too! I want to know Your heart, understand Your ways, know Your secrets. I want intimacy with You!”

The thrill for me lies in knowing that God wants the same thing. He wants it so much that He’s told me what it takes – obedience. Now it’s up to me. How badly do I want to be called His friend? Am I willing to do what it takes?