A FRIEND OF GOD

At the beginning of this year, I got my wife a devotional by Joni Eareckson Tada called "Pearls of Great Price". Almost daily, she shares a gem from this thoughtful book. Yesterday, Joni's entry was called "A Real Friendship". 

In the film "Sleeper" Woody Allen plays a character who wakes up in another century, having been frozen in a scientific experiment. He is given a stack of photographs from our century to identify, which prompts a series of hilarious one liners. Billy Graham's picture comes up. Allen pauses, and then says, "Billy Graham, claimed to have a personal relationship with God". The audience, of course cracks up. That is how absurd the idea sounds to many people. 

(When my wife, daughter and I were in New York City three years ago, I tried to talk sense into Woody, but he just kept staring straight ahead.)

Joni goes on to say, "What is more astonishing is that God doesn't think it's absurd. He is very interested in relating to us. He's a host issuing party invitations left and right. He's a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine in the field to seek the one lost lamb. He's a wealthy King lavishing authority on low life. He seeks friendship.

We should be that passionate. But often we see the church, or a style of worship, or a way of studying the Bible, or a method of prayer. We make these things the focus rather than Him. Study methods and worship techniques are helpful, but even Jesus was astounded that the people could devote their entire lives to studying Scripture, yet fail to know the one to whom the scripture was pointing. (John 5:39 40)

Even in the best relationships, we are still left aching for someone to enter our struggle - to embrace us with a passion that seizes and melts us into a union that will never be broken. We want friendships, real and deep. Intimacy with God blossoms when we enter "the Fellowship of Sharing in His Sufferings". When suffering is shared, hearts can't help but be pressed together. Relationship is then, no longer a routine, it's real. 

To view Joni's daily devotional on line, click HERE.