Friends are a necessary and important part of life. But Jesus is, by far, the most important friend that you can have. Perhaps you’ve never thought of Jesus as a friend. You see him as your Lord, Savior, Redeemer. But in John 15:15 (GNT), Jesus shares with his disciples another aspect of their relationship. He says:

“I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my father.”

Jesus calls the disciples his friends. Friends he told all his secrets to, who believed the truths he shared, and who followed him daily.

Today, Jesus invites you into a friendship with him. He wants a relationship that involves loving him and closely following him. And he longs to go deeper and deeper into this friendship with you.

Here are three ways you can grow in your friendship with Jesus:

• 1.Spend time with him. Friends spend time together. It’s the same with Jesus! Spend time with Jesus through prayer, reading the Bible, and listening for his voice. These practices can help you bear fruit in your life that help you resemble Jesus. “Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4 GNT)
• 2.Obey him. Friends love each other. When we obey Jesus, even in the face of difficulty, it’s a sign of our love for him. Our obedience reflects our desire to strengthen our faith and friendship with Jesus. “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” (John 14:15 CEV)
• 3.Love others. Friends who spend time together, begin to rub off on each other. Jesus wants you to care about what he cares about, which includes loving others. To be in friendship with Jesus, means you not only love him, but you love others. “But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35 CEV)

Let’s Pray Together

Jesus, I pray that I will grow in friendship with you. Let my life reflect someone who loves spending time with you, who obeys you, and who cares for others as you care for them. Jesus, I love you and I want to walk more closely with you.