Friends

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

(John 15:15, NKJV)

Hey y’all! It’s your girl Julie, and we’re back with another segment of “Salty & Lit.” In today’s post, we’re going to be talking about what it means to be a friend. Let’s pray.

Father, You are so good. Thank You for inspiring me on what to write. Give me wisdom to teach well and apply what I’ve learned to others. Help us to learn more about You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What if I told you that you are a friend of God, no really? God calls you His friend? Imagine the disciples' reactions when they heard Jesus calling them friend for the first time. In John 15, Jesus is setting His disciples up for His death, letting them know about themselves: they are branches while He is the vine and God (the Father) is the vinedresser, and they’re being called to love one another and abide in Jesus’ love.

Yet one thing that stands out to me is this: Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends (verse 13). Jesus is letting His disciples know of the depth of His love by giving up His life for them. He later says, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” Imagine the disciples’ faces when they hear Jesus saying this: “You’re my friend.” There’s a level of intimacy that comes with being friends with Jesus, and He makes it clearer by saying, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” You’re my friend only if you do what I command you. Jesus has stipulations for the types of friendships He has: if you’re not obeying Him, you’re not His friend.

Would you be friends with someone who doesn’t listen to what you have to say? It’s the same thing with God. He doesn’t require you to be intimate with Him, if you don’t want Him to, but if you desire to be, there are sacrifices that will be made such as obeying Him. Something I’ve heard lately is God’s love language is “obedience.” Follow what He says, and He’s happy, not in a tyrannical kind of way, but in a way that shows that you trust Him with His plan for you because they’re good (Jeremiah 29:11).

So my friend, how are you trusting God this season? How are you being a friend to Him by obeying His command? How can you grow in that?

Amen.