March 31 A Friend of God?
Several years ago, when I mentioned in a sermon that Jesus is our friend, I had someone question me about that. We talk about Jesus being our Savior and our Lord. But we don't often talk about Him as being friend. Thanks to the popular Phillips, Craig and Dean song "Friend of God," this concept is more familiar.
But as I reflected on our Bible passage for today (John 14-15 (ESV)), I was struck by Jesus' words, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends..." I am having a hard time getting my head around such an enormous thought.
The almighty Creater of all things, including us...the God who has billions of people currently on the planet...this God laid down His life for you and me...and thus considers us friends. We are not one just one of many citizens in His Kingdom, whom He checks on now and then with a census count. We have been given a relationship, a close enough relationship with Him that we are called "friends." Wow!