Relate to God

IN SCRIPTURE, GOD USES A SURPRISING WORD to describe the relationship between himself and Abraham. He refers to Abraham as "my friend" (Isaiah 41:8). Similarly, toward the end of his earthly life, Jesus wants his closest followers to know how much he values their relationship when he says, "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" (John 15:15). To authentically follow Christ is the cultivation and experience of a genuine relationship with God. Yes, there is reverence, awe and worship of God, but there is also a daily walking and talking with God that overtime has its own unique intimacy. This relationship is cultivated with God through prayer and Scripture, and like any relationship, can grow cold without intentionality and effort. But when we engage the highly intentional practice of talking and listening to God, we then develop our own relationship with him that is ever-present throughout our daily lives.