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One survey found that 25% of Americans have no intimate friend. People often define friendship in various ways, but most agree that good friends enjoy each other’s company, want what is best for each other, will often go out of their way to help each other, and will tell you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it. In Genesis 18, we learn that Abraham was God’s friend. He had an intimate relationship with God, and because of this close friendship, God said He would not hide His plans from Abraham. God then went on to tell him what He was about to do to the wicked city of Sodom. We learn from the New Testament that God invites us to be His friends, to have an intimate relationship with Him. He prepared the way for this when His Son paid our sin debt by dying on the cross. We read in John 15 that before Jesus suffered, He told His disciples that they were His friends because He had told them every thing the Father had told Him. Jesus then said, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” God longs to have a close relationship with each of us. While God declares us righteous as soon as we exercise faith in His Son, intimate friendship is an ongoing pursuit. We draw ever closer as we faithfully trust Him and obey His word to us.
