The beginning of the beginning

Happy New Year!!

My children’s names are Braden and McKenna. “Braden” means “a man of wisdom and reverence.” My son Braden is exactly that! “McKenna” means “the son of Kenneth” (that doesn’t work when her father’s name is Grant, and she’s my daughter, not my son)...but her name also means “fiery love,” and that’s perfect!

One of my greatest joys is being friends with my children. While I am their father, I truly count them among my closest friends.  

Jesus is God, and yet listen to these powerful words of scripture:

“The LORD would speak to Moses, face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” (Exodus 33:11, NIV)   

“‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. … I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.’” (John 15:13-15, NIV) 

Jesus wants to name us “friends”...how incredible! The biblical words for “friend” embrace a meaning of companionship as well as royalty. The King of Kings wants to pronounce the new name of “Friend” over you, friend. :-)  

As a pastor, I often hear people describe themselves as “strangers.” I remember a time in my life when I felt very much a stranger to God. In that dark moment, God used the words of a song by Steve Camp to touch my heart:

“Looks like the boy’s in trouble again, living much too close to the edge of sinNow he finds himself where he should not have beenAnd it pounds like thunder within my breast, all the anger of my humannessAnd though I call You ‘Lord,’ I must confess I’m a stranger to Your holinessDon’t want to be a stranger to Your holiness”

God used those lyrics to uncover my desire for true friendship with Him. I believed with all my heart that God desired friendship with me, and what a moment it was when that reality washed over my soul. And I’m not the first one to experience that moment:

“...‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.” (James 2:23, NIV)  

Take a moment and ask yourself…what would true friendship with God mean to you?

I love it when my phone rings and I hear one of my children saying, “Hi, Dad!” My heart melts every time because I know that my children want to talk with me, connect, and enjoy our friendship together.

God the Father wants the same thing for you and from you. friend, I pray that today you will find true joy in the miracle of connecting with God...He is waiting for you!

You are a miracle!