Friend-ish By Kelly Needhamናሙና

Friendship was originally God’s idea. From walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day in Genesis to making his dwelling with us in Revelation, God’s plan has always been to befriend mankind. But, as Isaiah reminded us, “our iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isa. 59:2). How can sinners be friends with a holy and just God? How will God reconcile sinners back into fellowship with him?

The answer: at great cost to himself.

This friendship we have with God is an expensive one. It is through the humble incarnation, the perfect obedience, the costly death, and the resurrection of Jesus that God reconciled us to himself. In Jesus we are saved. In Jesus we are reconciled to God. In Jesus we have a truly saving friendship.

But there’s a catch: Jesus is not content being one among our many friends. In Luke 14:26 he declares that “if anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Jesus demands our ultimate loyalty, to be our friend above all others. Our devotion to him should be so paramount that all other affections look like hate by comparison. Either Jesus is first in our life or he is not in our life. . . .

For the Christian, it is either God first and God alone or not at all. He will not settle for second or even share first place.

That good things can become ultimate is not a new concept. The best things in life often pose the greatest threat to our undivided devotion to God. . . .

Friendship is an irreplaceable gift of God. But like all of God’s gifts, it matters that we receive and enjoy it God’s way. Sex is a good gift from God, but only when enjoyed in marriage. Wealth is a good gift from God, but only when free from greed. And friendship is a good gift from God, but only when it fosters and preserves devotion to our One True Friend. It must always come second.