By Judy Villanueva

John 15:15
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

“The whole of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us.” (AW Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy, p.129)

The God of heaven is eager to be friends with me? I was reading along, soaking up Tozer’s words inviting me to understand the goodness of God, and all of a sudden I happened upon this sentence. I paused…and read it over and over. “The God of heaven is eager to be friends with me.” Yet, again my image of God is confronted! I realized, as I sat there and let this thought sit next to me, that I don’t think of God in this way…as eager to be my friend. It sounds so…so…friendly! The idea that we dwell under a friendly sky is as happy as it is consoling at this time in my life when I am far away from my closest friends. Days can feel lonely and making new friends takes time…a little more than I expected. What comfort Jesus’ invitation to friendship gives to all of us who need a friend! I am accustomed to relating to God as Father, Jesus as Son and Savior, the Spirit as Counselor and companion but, what does a friendship with God look like?

As I sit by the fire working to wrap my mind around the notion of a friendship with God Almighty (!), the phone rings. “Hi, sweetie!” It’s one of my favorite voices… and it belongs to my mom! I love the sound of her “hello,” the warmth I feel in her voice and the picture of her that comes to my mind as I listen to her telling me about her and dad’s latest excursion to the Italian Club. I find myself smiling and become aware of the love between us, and the little bits of life being shared across the miles. It occurs to me that God just might be helping me understand His eager heart to be my friend as I enjoy my mother’s company on the phone. It’s not strenuous or complicated…just a gift, a moment, a relationship I need only welcome and receive. I’m starting to get the picture! In a very real way, God is always calling. He offers His love and friendship all hours of the day and through the night. He loves His children profoundly and eagerly waits for opportunities to share bits of life with us! We need only to allow for the moments…to welcome and receive His friendship. I want to be God’s friend and I want to experience His eagerness to be mine! Don’t you?

“Help me, dear and eager Friend, to discover your goodness around me and to know you not only as Father, God, and Savior, but also, as my dearest Friend. Help me to welcome and receive Your friendship and love. Amen.”

How about you?

Do you need a good friend?

Have you ever thought about God as eager to be your friend?

How might you welcome and receive His friendship today?

If friendship with God seems hard to imagine, pray and ask God to help you discover His love and become His friend.