My friends

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. – John 15.13-15

Friends are so important. Friends are always there. True friends are there no matter what and friendship endures. Friends love enough to not excuse flaws and faults. They tell us we have done something stupid or our clothes don’t work or the new haircut is ugly. They want what is best for us.

Normally friendships are based on some kind of commonality. We grow up in the same neighbourhood. We go to the same school. We belong to the same church. There are exceptions of course but normally we would be from the roughly the same socio-economic group. It’s just normal.

But here we have a most unusual friendship – a friendship between a perfect holy and sinless righteous God and a sinner. That hardly makes any kind of sense. How could we be friends? How could I be God’s friend?

Jesus said that the greatest love is a love that lays down it life for a friend. We prove we are His friends by doing what He commands us to do.

So because of Him laying down His life for us we can be friends of God. Friends of God. Think about it. You and I can be friends with Him. No longer servants, but friends.