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Friend of God? Most of us have probably heard the term "friend of God" used around the church and various ministries. You see it more around contemporary church atmospheres. Christians uses it and attach a great deal of approval with it because they feel that it's something special- to be "a friend of God". And it is true that there are a few examples where the Bible speaks of people being called God's friends, such as Abraham and Moses. Even, Jesus called his disciples friends and no longer servants. So in some sense it is acceptable to handle that term- but very carefully. I think people feel such a longing to get close to God that they will attach themselves with anything that would give them even the feeling of being close to God. There must always be a balance. Even God himself is an perfect balance of attributes, qualities, and personalities. We need to be keenly aware what we are implying when we say “friend of God.” God the Son, in his infinity and sovereignty, chose to limit himself to such a humiliating state when decided to step out of the beauty and immensity of heaven and walk among wicked, degenerate people. But more than that: to die. But even more than that: to suffer. Yet even more than that: to be humiliated and be treated as a criminal for the purpose of saving a bunch of hoodlums. This great and powerful God, who created everything with his words alone, whose voice calms the seas, whose authority divides the oceans with land & earth, whose eternal mind and sovereign power orchestrates history and governs the affairs of the world - and He is my friend?! When did I grow to such an elevated state of being? When I think of a friend, I think of someone as my peer. Someone in my same level, whether it be social status, economic classes, experiential commonalities. Someone I can be myself with and not having to worry about pleasing them or cleaning up for or after them. Someone who I can joke with and be casual with. Very few of those things apply to my relationship with God. But Christians nowadays treats Him exactly that way. We treat him like our roommate, or an old high school buddy. We are very casual with the time we spend with Him and the gifts we give Him. We are lackadaisical with our worship. We’re half-hearted in our devotion. With our lives we are saying, “who God?, oh yeah - he’s cool!”. The Bible prescribes "fear & trembling" as the proper attitude when coming to God. In fact there was never an example anywhere in the Bible where a man or woman flippantly entered the presence of God and was condoned for it. In fact, Aaron's sons were killed when they entered into the inner parts of the tabernacle without the proper ceremonial process. Even Moses who spoke with God "as a friend" never approached God in a nonchalant manner. Christians confuse God's availability and accessibility portrayed in the New Testament with the license to be casual with HIM. That is not the case, and we need to be very careful with our carefree attitude. Am I a friend of God? Yes, but only because God befriended me. He is still the creator of the universe. He stooped down to my dirty level, for my benefit, so that I can feel He is close enough to reach, but he is not my "homeboy"- not in the greatest sense of the word. We are not, and never will be, in the same level. I was reading an old Navy book and I remember a part that could apply to this point. The author was a Navy Seal, with a lot of war medals and battle scars to prove his credentials and experience. He worked for an admiral, and they grew close in their relationship because of the regularity of their dealings. He wrote, “the Admiral and I are on a first name basis now; he calls me Rick and I call him Admiral”. That is exactly how we must see God. We can be honest with Him, we can tell Him our problems, we can be confident that He loves us despite our flaws, we can even cry on His “shoulders” and ask Him to work on our behalf. But, we must always be aware that we are talking and dealing with a King- or should I say, THE KING. And so, I understand that I might be His Friend…but he is still my Lord. God Bless March M. Villareal manswicked@gmail.com www.manswicked.com
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