God wants us to pursue a friendship with Him

By John Bevere, Op-ed contributor Sunday, February 25, 2024

When was the last time you spoke to your best friend or sent them a message?

If you’re like me, your best friend is someone with whom you share important details and your most intimate secrets. You’re in regular communication with them and you share things you wouldn’t share with anyone else. God wants an intimate relationship with you. Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant” (emphasis added). The Hebrew word for “secret” is sôd and is defined as “counsel.” God’s secret counsel — the sharing of His secrets — is with His close, intimate friends.

But God is not everyone’s friend, only those who fear Him. It’s easy for people to talk about God as if He’s a buddy to hang out with. There are people I know who can fill me in on the facts and details of a celebrity’s life, but that doesn’t mean they’re friends with them. It’s the same with God. We can attend church services and lead youth group and read our Bibles daily, but that doesn’t guarantee friendship with God.

God isn’t looking for likes on His social media account or for buddies. He’s looking for an intimate relationship with those who fear Him. As we’ve shared in this book, two men in the Old Testament are identified as God’s friends: Abraham and Moses. Their lives exemplify the path that leads to friendship with the Lord. They demonstrate the parameters placed on a friendship with Jesus, who didn’t say, “You are all My friends if you believe I am the Christ.” Rather, Jesus said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). Both Abraham and Moses, out of holy fear, obeyed what God commanded them to do and they experienced an intimate friendship with God. God deeply desires to be close with each of us, but true intimacy requires both parties knowing each other well, not just one. Just as God searches our innermost thoughts, we should also strive for true familiarity with our Heavenly Father.

Look at what Moses said about this level of relationship: “You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor” (Exodus 33:12–13 NLT). Moses longed for a deep and intimate relationship with God. Pursue God’s friendship but do so in a way that keeps awe and reverence for Him at the forefront. Don’t become so casual with the Holy God or bring Him down to our level by calling Him your Savior and your buddy all in the same breath.

Throughout all of human existence, the quest for a meaningful connection with the divine has been a constant thread woven into the fabric of cultures and civilizations throughout history — all the while, The Creator of all things, is inviting you and me to have a personal friendship with Him.

God is not a distant and aloof deity, but rather a loving and relational being who actively seeks a profound connection with everyone. He created us to be in community with one another and with Him. God desires us to experience an intimate relationship with Him as He constantly pursues us and draws us to Him.

Salvation itself is intricately linked to the idea of a personal friendship with God. The belief that Jesus came to reconcile humanity with God and restore a broken relationship underscores the significance of this divine connection. Through faith in Christ, individuals are not only forgiven of their sins but also invited into a restored friendship with the Creator — and prayer is a powerful way to stay in constant communication with our heavenly friend.

Pursue a relationship with your Creator and experience a friendship so sweet, unlike any other relationship you have had.

Includes material from Everyday Courage: 50 Devotions to Build a Bold Faith by John Bevere. Copyright © 2024 by John P. Bevere. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. https://www.harpercollinschristian.com/

John Bevere is a minister known for his bold, uncompromising approach to God's Word. He is also an international bestselling author who has written more than 20 books that have, collectively, sold millions of copies and been translated into 129 languages. Along with his wife, Lisa, John is the co-founder of Messenger International — a ministry committed to revolutionizing global discipleship. Driven by a passion to develop uncompromising followers of Christ, Messenger has given over 50 million translated resources to leaders across the globe, and to extend these efforts, the MessengerX app was developed, providing translated, digital discipleship resources at no cost to users in 118 languages and counting. MessengerX currently has users in over 19,000 cities and 228 nations. When John is home in Franklin, Tennessee, you’ll find him loving on his g-babies, playing pickleball, or trying to convince Lisa to take up golf.