This week's "Reflection" by Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Teaching/Youth
Evidence of God's desire for friendship to be part of our relationship with Him is found throughout scripture. Our willingness to embrace this aspect of our relationship with God can have a huge impact on the ways that we approach and interact with our Heavenly Father. Consider the following questions and let us know how a friendship relationship with God plays out in your own spiritual walk.
1. What will this mean for your relationship with God when you view Him as a friend?
2. What kind of impact does this have in the way that you approach Him?
3. What difference will it make when you talk about Him with others who don¹t have a relationship?
4. What kind of struggles and hang-ups are there for you in envisioning having this kind of relationship with God?
Another great message Jeff! The Easter talk gave a lot of food for thought as well as this message. My full-time job is as a Floorperson at Commerce Casino (Think pit boss but not as well compensated). I identified very strongly with what I'll call the "customer service representaive" component of Christianity. It seems we are called to be CSR's for Christ. The easiest and best way to become successful in customer service is to make the customer's problem our problem. This would seem to apply here as well. I guess the biggest difference is that if the task is successful, we get another CSR on the team and another asset to emplo in the battle.
ReplyDelete1. What will this mean for your relationship with God when you view Him as a friend? I think I've always thought of God as a friend - there are times when I don't understand him, and other times that I don't understand how anyone could live without him. Having and being a true friend means to go the distance with each other, knowing you will not always agree, but loving one another despite this. Having God as a friend is similar, only we have to understand that no matter what he is always right, always there, always the one that will lift us up - he will never fail.
ReplyDelete2. What kind of impact does this have in the way that you approach Him? I've been taught to revere God and to honor him, but that he is always approachable. I don't think bringing the context of "friend" changes that.
3. What difference will it make when you talk about Him with others who don¹t have a relationship? I think when I talk about God in everyday conversation people often open up about things. It's almost as if in this day and age people want to talk about God, but are afraid. I find that most people are very receptive to speaking about God as a friend, confidant, and advisor.
4. What kind of struggles and hang-ups are there for you in envisioning having this kind of relationship with God? I honestly do not see any struggles or hang-ups. I know that I could never be as good a friend as God is to me, and that is actually comforting.