DIVINE FRIENDSHIP (Part I)

DIVINE FRIENDSHIP (Part I)

There is a praise chorus that I always love to hear, not because of its beautiful melody or rhythmic cadence, but rather for the power and synergy of its lyrics.  The song is “I Am a Friend of God” by Israel Houghton and Michael Gungor.

Who am I that YOU are mindful of me?
That YOU hear me when I call?
Is it true that YOU are thinking of me?
How YOU love me…it’s amazing…
It’s amazing!

I Am a Friend of GOD…
I Am a Friend of GOD…
I Am a Friend of GOD…
HE calls me Friend!

What an artful and robust reminder of our relational intimacy with the Creator of Heaven and earth!  Approaching the endpoint of his 3½ year public ministry, Jesus Christ made a life-changing announcement to his disciples (and it includes us): “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I HAVE CALLED YOU FRIENDS; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” (John 15:15)  Wow!

Christ’s affirmation suggests that friendship is a living stream in which both parties are revered, renewed, replenished and refreshed.  Implicit in His statement is the theological concept of mutuality, i.e. there are shared rights and responsibilities that derive from (and accrue to) this crucial covenant partnership that we call friendship.

Typically, we believers mentally frame our friendship with God as a one-way mirror through which GOD faithfully sees and supplies our needs.  However, if the relationship is to be mutually fulfilling and authentic, would it not require a bilateral investment of love, integrity, communication, obligation and accountability by all parties?

 It reminds me of the story of two men who were stranded on a deserted island.

A voyaging ship was tragically wrecked during a powerful storm and only two men were able to swim ashore to a tiny uninhabited island.  The two survivors were very good friends, and not knowing what else to do, they agreed that they had no other recourse but ask God for help.  However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

It seemed like the most important item to pray for would be food.  The first man did so, and sure enough, the next morning, he spied a fruit-bearing tree growing on his side of the island.  He was able to dine on its delicious fruit, while the other man’s parcel of land remained barren.

After a week or so, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife.  The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who, of course, swam to his side of the land.  On the other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, some clothes and more food.  The next day, supernaturally, all of these were given to him.  However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his lovely bride could leave the island.  In the morning, he found a ship docked on his side of the island.  The first man boarded the ship and decided to leave the second man behind on the island.  He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings, since obviously none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?”  The first man answered, “My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them.  His prayers were all unanswered, so he does not deserve anything.”

“You are mistaken!” the voice from on high summarily rebuked him.  “He had only one prayer, which I answered.  If not for that one prayer from your friend, you would not have received any of My blessings.” 

“Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?”

The voice from Heaven whispered, “He prayed that all your prayers would be answered.”

When I first read this story, my imagination conjured up a rather unlikely scenario: ME being personally marooned on a desert island with GOD, Himself.  As I re-envisioned the story above, this peculiar picture of God and me alone on an island stirred an important question: ‘What am I doing here-and-now to validate the mutuality of the covenant with my Creator?’  In other words, is my relationship with The Lord completely self-serving, and thus all about ME, or am I bringing something to the table to assist in building God’s Kingdom, as He constantly showers benefits and blessings upon me?  Insert yourself in the story and think about it.  Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow!