Author: Kate Franken

There was a time when I rarely opened my Bible, never once did I read a book in its entirety. I would pray a stream of words that flowed from my mind and not my heart. With little understanding of what the words within my memorized prayers actually meant, I prayed to the saints and to Mary, in attempts to better reach God.

It was a time when I knew some things about God, but I didn’t know God.

I was thirsty. I sought to quench my thirst with an inordinate number of things of this world like a farm animal that repeatedly gets its head stuck in the fence due to its pursuit to be satisfied. I persisted in chasing after fleeting desire, despite experience teaching me to do otherwise. I was chasing after the wind.

One hot summer’s day, a group of friends and I were embarking on a three hour drive to a northern coast town; we were given the choice of two cars. One of the two friends driving shared that she planned to listen to a sermon on the way up, knowing that would influence some people’s decisions. While the majority packed themselves in the other car, I opted to join her and her sister. 

As we rolled down stretches of country roads, my interest in what the pastor had to say about God grew. One sermon became two. Two became three and so on. And most beautifully, for the first time, we talked deeply about the things of God as dear friends.

After that day, I continued to listen to that same pastor. His teachings helped me see God with new eyes. He awakened me to God’s invitation to have a personal relationship with Him. He helped me see that God wanted my heart, not my works. He erased the hoops I had thought I must jump to reach God, and allowed me to see that God was close. The pastor captivated me with his words, as he broadened my understanding of who God is. 

One of the most mind-blowing things I learned in those podcast sermons was that God calls us friend.

John 15:12-17 states, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

There is no greater love than Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, laying down His life for us. He is listening as we seek him. God loves us in a way no other friend can. With God, we are known—fully, truly, and still He loves us. He chooses us. He qualifies us to do Kingdom work. He showers us in mercy and incomprehensibly calls us friend.

God simply asks that we love. We love one another. We love Him.

As our friend, He wants to hear from us. He wants our prayers, for us to seek Him always. He values authenticity and constancy, just as we do. The more honest we are with God, the deeper our friendship becomes with Him.

Friendship is a two-way street. Just as He wants us to talk to Him, He wants us to listen to Him. He speaks to us through the Bible, so we must regularly be in the Word to hear His voice. His Word is alive and active and we ought not to dismiss its power and authority.

Friendship requires that both friends prioritize one another. It’s when this doesn’t occur, that friendships fall apart. We need to be asking ourselves routinely Am I prioritizing God? If not, we must reorient.

Forging a friendship with God has forever changed me. He has my heart and is all I’ll ever need. I lean greatly on the truth of His Word and the intimacy of prayer to walk the hills and valleys before me. It’s a fierce and beautiful friendship that has brought peace to what tomorrow holds. The peace comes about from knowing God—knowing he can be trusted eternally.

May this be an encouragement for you to incline your heart towards Him, seek His face, and lessen the gap. Open your Bible. Pray vulnerable words. Drink from the cup where you’ll thirst no more, forge and keep your friendship alive with the Truest of Friends.

Kate Franken is a 4th grade teacher and a volunteer coordinator at her church in Oregon. She enjoys indulging in raw conversation whilst savoring a cup or more of coffee. Her hunt for good books and podcasts is endless. She finds refuge surrounded by trees, on hiking trails, with her two dogs in tow. She is especially fond of mountaintop views, wit, “best teacher ever” love letters, breakfast, a painted sky, and Jesus. She has a heart for connecting people to His church and encouraging others into relationship with Him.