what matters to Jesus | FRIENDSHIP (PART TWO)

Psalm 133:1, NIV
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Thank you for the feedback on the last series. Interestingly, most of the comments focused on friendship so I'm going to spend a little more time talking about relationships here.

The bible is full of examples that reveal how much loving relationships matter to God. James tells us that Abraham was God’s friend  and it is through his friend that God establishes a nation for himself. In Exodus  we read that God spoke with Moses face to face as one speaks to a friend. The Psalmist tells us God is so concerned for our social well-being that he sets the lonely in families and, of course, he also establishes the church as a community built around a common purpose whose hallmark is love. Throughout the New Testament we are urged to form authentic, loving relationships by meeting together because God knows that being in community allows us to spur one another on to love and good deeds  and to release each other to minister out of a place of security and accountability.

God tells us we are our best selves when we experience life with other believers because we are one body and belong in fellowship.  We look most like Jesus when we’re united  and the Holy Spirit is present when we’re together.  For the early church the outcome of being together was that the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  (Which, incidentally, raises a question for churches that aren’t growing or are in decline. Could it be because we are not ‘together’ in a way that displays the love of God to others?)

Yet even though God is committed to loving relationship and wants us to be too, research tells us we can only be friends with a limited number of people. With a finite number of relationships we can cope with, it stands to reason we need to be more aware of God’s purpose for our friendships and more intentional about the way we develop and maintain them. I believe we need to find out in this season who it is he wants us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with[1], who he wants us to build with[2], who he knows will strengthen and encourage us, who he knows will add to our ministry, and whose ministry he knows we will add to. 

Why not ask God to be involved in and integral to your friendships this week?

Until next time.

L x

[1] Zephaniah 3:9

[2] Exodus 36:1