What kind of relationship does God really want to have with you?
He's your Father. He’s your Creator. He’s your Maker. He’s your Judge. He’s your Master. He’s your Lord. He’s your Redeemer. He’s your Savior. And he’s many, many other incredible things. But most shocking of all is this: God wants to be your friend.
We see this at the very beginning of time, when God lived in a simple, loving relationship with Adam and Eve. That ideal was broken by sin—but because of Jesus, that friendship with God is available to us again.
The Bible says it like this: “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:10-11 NLT).
You can’t earn, bargain, or beg your way into friendship with God. It’s a gift. And once you’ve accepted that gift, he shows you how to deepen that friendship:
1. Make knowing God your number-one priority. You deepen your relationship with God when you give him your best time, not your spare time. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33 ESV). I like to do this by checking in with God at the start of each day. Before I even get out of bed, I pray, “God, if I don’t get anything else done today, I want to love you more and know you better.”
2. Slow down and be quiet. Friendship with God is like any other friendship—you have to make time for it. The Message paraphrase shows what that can look like: “When you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production. . . . Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace” (Matthew 6:5-6).
3. Decide whose friendship you want most. Embracing the world’s value systems—things like popularity, pleasure, and possessions—often gets in the way of friendship with God. Instead, value what Jesus valued. He said it clearly: “You are my friends if you obey my commandments” (John 15:14 GW).
4. Maintain a constant conversation. To really deepen your friendship with God, you need to have an ongoing conversation with him—by talking to him all the time about anything and everything! The Bible says it like this: “Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV).
5. Trust God in your pain. Every friendship is built on trust. That’s true with God too. You’ve got to trust him— even when life is going sideways and doesn’t make sense. Psalm 55:22, “Turn your burdens over to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble” (GW).
Maybe you’ve trusted God for salvation, but you haven’t really thought about growing closer to him. Or maybe there was a season when you felt close to God, and over time, you’ve drifted away. The good news is, it’s never too late to come back. God promises, “If you return to me, I will restore you” (Jeremiah 15:19 NLT).
If Daily Hope has encouraged you in your friendship with God, would you please write to me and tell me about it? Your letters are a great encouragement to our team and to all the people whose partnership makes this ministry possible. You can write to me at Rick@PastorRick.com.
Pastor Rick
