You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. John 15:14

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

We all cherish friendship. Friends can be our solace when we are at our lows. They can be our joy when we celebrate our highs. But have we ever thought of God as a friend?

Years ago in my youth, I was met with a serious road accident and God in His mercies had saved my life and healed me completely within months. A visiting acquaintance at that time suggested that I must have done something wrong to have brought God's judgement on me. He prodded more to ask how do I relate to God. I told him point blank, "God is my friend and it was not His judgement but His grace that I had just encountered". He was taken aback with my response which made me understand that he never took God for a friend but a fierce judge. The only problem with that idea is that we would then obey His commands out of fear rather than love.

In today's scripture Jesus Himself says we are His friends. Not His servants. Years ago I didn't know this scripture, but I always knew God is my friend. Indeed He is our best friend. He has our best intention in mind.

He proved His friendship for us by giving His very life.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for his friends. John 15:13

Let us therefore cherish this precious friendship. Be sure to accept His friend request today if not already. Then we can find solace in Him during our lows and joy in Him in our highs.

Praise the Lord!