WHAT'S A FRIEND OF GOD?

From Rev Sue Ann Yarbrough

Scripture: John 15:15
" I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
 
Meditation 
This morning I read with interest a post by Father Richard Rohr, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque. In his post, he begins to explore the possibility of our having a friendship with God and Jesus. In the post he quotes author Diana Butler Bass who contends that a friendship with Jesus is actually a mark of mature faith.

Diana Butler Bass writes, "Indeed, Jesus instructed his friends to pray to 'Abba' (as we can assume he himself prayed), a term most often rendered as 'Father' in English, but one that contains shades of meaning denoting intimacy and familiarity, including that of fraternal relations like 'brother' or 'companion,' and is related to the Hebrew word for friend (ahab), used to describe Abraham." 

I find this thought provoking and inspiring.

Source: Diana Butler Bass, Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence (New York: HarperOne, 2021), 3–4, 14.

How many of us think of God as a friend?

I encourage all of us to give this question some thought and prayer as we move through these times. If we can practice believing a friend is guiding us, our practice can be transformed into a deep faith. 

She goes on to say: "Friendship is contingent on love—real love: compassion, empathy, reaching out, going beyond what we imagine is possible. That is the command: love. And if we reach out in love, friendship is the result, even friendship with God.​

Friendship is mutual, a hand extended and another reaching back. . . . Friendship is an eternal circle, the ceaseless reaching toward one another that strengthens us and gives us joy."* If our faith is not giving us joy, then we probably should look at that. If we truly believe that "God is love (1 John 4:8)," then surely we should live our lives courageously and very much in love. Such ripples can indeed change the world.

Prayer
Holy One, Holy Friend, 
We yearn to be in union with you. We know this cannot happen until we have the courage to love you, and the courage to believe you love us in return. We thank you for the voices in our world that continue to remind us to love.
​
We pray for the people of Ukraine. We pray for the people of the Philippines, as they struggle with both Covid and the aftermath of Typhoon Odette. We pray for those in our nation who face winter storms and freezing weather. We pray for all who struggle with illness and despair. We pray for the unhoused. We pray that soon we can all be together again.
 
In love we pray, Amen 
 
Love and Blessings to you all.
--
Rev. Sue Ann Yarbrough, Associate Pastor
San Lorenzo Community Church, United Church of Christ
SpiritCare Ministry to Seniors 
www.slzchurch.org 
www.hearthpsalms.blogspot.com