Friendship is a funny thing. It can come and go, wax and wane, but it can also endure. Immediately, when I thought of friendship, the chorus of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by WAR popped into my head. Go ahead and sing it. You know you want to! I’m also certain that many of you will Google this as you have no idea what I’m talking about; therefore, you will realize that I am either old or a music aficionado. I will go with the latter! Anyway, I digress.
Psalm 25:14 (ESV) says, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him.” In the NIV, the same verse says, “The Lord confides in those who fear Him.” Scripture shows us examples of men who feared God and those in whom the Lord confided. Friendship with the Lord is biblical, as we see examples of His friendship with Moses in Exodus 33:11, and also with Abraham in Isaiah 41:8 and James 2:23.
Friendship is often a topic of conversation with my 16-year-old daughter. I compare her friendship with her besties and her friendship with God. Before you zone out, hold on. Think about your best friends and then ask yourself a few questions. For example, why are you friends and how do you maintain that friendship? I asked my daughter this question, “Would your best friends be friends with you if you gave them the time and intentionality that you gave to God?” Hmmmm, that could be an “ouch” question and answer!
Take a look at your best friends and notice that you are friends because most likely something drew you together. Typically, it’s a common interest or activity we share. John 6:44 says, “no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him….” Thankfully, the Lord was interested in us even when we weren’t thinking of Him. Whether it be with our best friend or with the Lord, one of the things that solidifies friendship is intentionality. Without it, our friendship would become like a slow-fading ember that finally burns out.
So, as I reflect on the question of why friendships flourish, I ask a “what if” question. What if I gave my friends an hour on Sunday and an hour on Wednesday night and never spoke to them the rest of the week? We might be marginal friends, but we wouldn’t have a deep, abiding friendship built on really knowing one another. We wouldn’t know each other’s character or place much trust in each other because we simply don’t know one another. Along those same lines, we offer this little amount of time to the Lord and then wonder why we don’t “feel” close to Him. Why can’t we hear Him speak?
Our friendship with God deserves intentionality, time, commitment, and perseverance for the long haul. We have to remain. As Scripture says in John 15:4, “Remain in Me, as I also remain in you.” God is worth getting to know and He longs to get to know me and you. To know Him intimately, to know His character, and to trust Him, we have to spend time with Him. This is exactly what we do with our friends. God is our Savior, Lord, King, Master, Provider, Protector, Husband, Healer……and so much more, but He is also our friend. Spend time with Him and allow Him into the deep recesses of your heart. He’s knocking at the door saying, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” Open the door!! (Now go sing that song.) 😂
Guest Contributor: Kristie Washington
