Being Friends With Jesus

Finally, we have a smart dog. It only took six canines and over twenty-six years to find one. We’re obviously not quitters. Our past pups have been absolutely precious, but they’ve also been afraid of water and ceiling fans and couldn’t bring a ball back if their lives depended on it. Enter Rocket.

This dog rocks – no pun intended. Every day I’m amazed at how much he understands and how well he learns. He has even (bow-)wowed our dog trainer. And while his obedience is impressive, it’s his desire to snuggle with me that I love most. If I’ve ignored him too long, he gently places his paws on my knees and waits for me to lift all fifty pounds of him to my lap. There he sits with his front paws on my shoulders in an adorable hug, licking my face and enjoying my undivided attention. His obedience balanced with his affection completely endear him to me.

I know the same balance is needed in my relationship with God. From the first command in Genesis 1:28 to the consequences of defiance in Genesis 3, we see God requires obedience. And 1 John 5:3 makes clear that walking in His ways is an expression of my love for Him. But Jesus also commended Mary for sitting at His feet in sacrificial worship. When Martha complained about doing all the work, Jesus said her sister chose what was better.

Servitude requires obedience – yet Jesus said we are no longer servants, but friends. I worship and honor Him as my creator, but I should also relate to Him as a friend. Warming myself by the fire of His presence as if sipping coffee with a trusted and beloved companion. 

In Matthew 22:37, Jesus calls me to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. In the original Greek, these three words encompass much more than their English translations. They incorporate our feelings, thoughts, will, character, breath, spirit, imaginations, and understandings. Our emotions and thoughts combined with our acts of obedience embody our love for God.

We were created for an intimate relationship with the One whose image we bear. The One who walked with Adam and Eve in the garden and spoke with Moses face to face. The One who called David a “man after his own heart” and invited Himself to lunch at Zacchaeus’ house. The One who called the diseased woman “daughter” and his disciples “friends.” The One who listened intently and then encouraged the men on the road to Emmaus. He stoops to make Himself familiar, approachable, and accessible. Yet so often, I rush through or skip time alone with Him – and when I do, I miss out on opportunities to listen as He comforts, guides, exhorts, laughs, and cries with me.

I long to remain in the intersection of His Lordship and friendship. Where I stand in awe at His holiness and power, yet curl up in his lap to talk about my day, my hurts, and my future. 

Kind of like my puppy.

Which practices in your spiritual formation give space for you to sit in the welcoming presence of the Lover of your soul?