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Day 12 Developing Your Friendship with God
What do best friends do?
They spend lots of time together. They find themselves wanting to be together as much as possible. They make the other laugh when one becomes too serious. They quietly hold hands when one is sad and down. They gladly listen to all the joyous details of success. They graciously allow the venting of every ounce of frustration and failure. They encourage and scold—as needed.
This work must be done personally. You can’t be best friends second hand. It would be like reading everything written about and by someone famous—and thinking that knowing everything about him or her makes you their best friend.
Knowing all about someone isn’t the same thing as knowing them personally. Say you were to meet that famous someone—running up to shake their hand and say, “I know all about you. I’m your biggest fan.” What would be their response?
They would stare at you with a puzzled look and (if they were a kind person) extend their hand saying, “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
God has given us his Word so that we might get to know him. And we need to invest the time to understand what he wants us to know. But through the Holy Spirit, God wants to make that knowledge intimately personal.
Intimate knowledge draws us closer. God may not have favorites (as Charles Stanley said), but he does have intimates—those who take the time and energy to know him well. When we love him with everything he’s created us to be, our friendship deepens—and our behavior changes.
Because it’s not just about knowing God’s Word—it’s about doing what God says. It’s not just being “in Christ,” it’s behaving “like Christ.”
Today’s Look at 1 John
Read 1 John 2:12-17. While you’re reading, look for words that suggest relationships.
Keep Breathing!
Today when you ask God—your new best friend—to spend the day with you, transforming your conversations and activities, ask for help you get to know them better. Look for ways to take one thing you know about God and put that knowledge into action.
Having trouble putting your finger on what you know about God? Maybe these suggestions will get you started:
Their pleasure to be your Father, Elder Brother and Counselor
Their promised presence
Their love and forgiveness
Their desire for intimate friendship
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