Today I share a few thoughts and the song, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. This is the absolutely brilliant and fun to play Kathryn Scott version. She adds a Chorus and some musicality you’re sure to enjoy. Here ’tis (song begins at 4:30 – but preamble is worth the listen!):
Download this song (and more!) for “Name Your Price” Here: www.reflect.bandcamp.com
How to be God’s Friend
Tonight has me thinking about what a gift it is that God invites every one of us into friendship with him. How close does God want to be? What is our part? How do we get in on friendship with God? First of all we must open the door!
I love how my NLT translation puts that verse:
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Revelation 3:20
Sharing a meal together as friends… with Jesus! Is that something that you are interested in? Yea, me too. So lets simply open the door and let him in!
Next, to be a good friend to God means trusting him and loving others. This, of course, is adapted from the passage of Scripture where Jesus says:
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14 NLT
The surrounding context (surrounding chapters) inform us that his commands equate to trusting him and loving others.
Here is the immediate context:
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 17This is My command to you: Love one another.” John 15
For heaven’s sake don’t ask yourself, “what is the most loving thing I can do for or say to this person right now”. I guarantee you will get that one wrong nine times outa ten. Instead, ask God! Chances are if you are flowing with him, the most loving thing will just flow naturally because you are filled and flowing in the Holy Spirit and he has poured the love of Papa into and through you.
Our mission in life:
“Love the person you are with in the moment”
Living in the perfect will of God is as simple as this.
