Who? Me? Yes, You! - Week 7

“Embracing Your Identity in Christ” I Am Jesus’ Friend

“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.” John 15:15

Charles Spurgeon says, “Friend of God is a title to be wondered at. Only His grace can make it possible that I can walk in the title of such companionship.” We like title, tags and labels that identify. I smile when I think of the sticker given in the hospital right after baby is born. A prized blue sticker screaming, “I am a new Daddy.” I like the smile on my friends face when she received the badge declaring, “I Ran 50K”. I recently attended a networking meeting in our community where most had professional nametags identifying who they were and the company they worked for. I wonder what the response would have been if I had worn a shiny gold nametag that read, “Martha Wilson, FRIEND OF GOD”. It is a title we don’t see ourselves wearing, yet Jesus gave it to us. It is a title to be greatly adored and honored.

Yet, it is more than a title, a nametag or a sticker. It is our identity. It is a relationship to be pursued, maintained and greatly desired. The more intentional we are to pursue this friendship, the more we will see all the benefits available to us. It is not just that He is my friend, but I am His friend. He desires friendship with simple, ordinary me.

God named Abraham “Friend”, and we see that he and God talked face to face as friends. This is a relationship that you receive through Christ’s death on the cross. He doesn’t just want servants scurrying around “doing”. He wants friends that long to know Him and to be known by Him.

How are you doing with these Friend Facts with your friend Jesus? Ask God for desire to move into a closer relationship with Him, accepting fully the Friend title.

TRUE FRIENDS

• Know each other and want to be known • Disclose secrets • Spend face to face time, not just text to text time • Encourage and admonish each other • Love each other • Trust each other • Enjoy each other • Share with each other