And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23)

When we first choose to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of our lives, we are, in the words of the apostle Paul, adopted into His family. We are now “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16-17)

This is and always will be our primary identity in the family of Christ.

The defining question of this relationship with the Father is almost always: “What can YOU DO FOR ME, Daddy?”

There is nothing wrong with asking this question, really. After all, Jesus encouraged us to do exactly that, didn’t He?

“Ask, and it will be given to you…For everyone who asks receives…If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7, 8, 11)

As Barry Adams pointed out in yesterday’s DWOD, this revelation of our identity permits us to walk in the humility of a servant heart. Jesus made this very clear when he said: “I am among you as the One who serves.” (Luke 22:27)

Jesus asks us to also declare something similar: “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10)

The main question a servant asks is: “What can I DO FOR YOU, my Master/Lord?”

But Jesus does not want us to stay there. He reveals His desire for us to move into a higher level of relationship with Him in these words: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)

For the most part, we do not do something FOR our friends, but WITH them, amen? So, now the key question becomes: “What can I DO WITH YOU, Jesus?”

How do we move into this level of relationship with Jesus? The key is in these words from Mark 6:31: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

As we accept Jesus’ invitation to go rest with Him and grow in intimacy, we are no longer siblings and servants only. We become friends. Now we have the confidence to ask how we can co-labour with Him.

It was this intimate connection that permitted Abraham to negotiate the number of righteous people who could negate the impending judgment on Sodom & Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33). No wonder he was called “the friend of God.”

Dear DWOD friend, do you see yourself as a friend of Jesus?  That is the new identity from which He wants you to function, don’t you know?

So, go ahead. Make His day. Ask:  “What can I DO WITH YOU TODAY, JESUS?”

Sing along with Israel Houghton…I am a friend of God