Why did God want to die for us? As Christ surrendered His will in Gethsemane, His Father’s became His own.1 In this, we see it is the Father on the tree, Christ doing only what He saw our Father doing:2 – forgiving His murderers unto death, embracing us with love in His last labored breaths.3
Why, Lord, did you do this? What did You want?
Dear reader, God did this because we are His joy and crown.4 We are His glory.5 He loves us dearly, desiring us to be with him always. It’s one of the things He most desires and frequently and excitedly thinks about.6
More than anything else in creation, God wants to be our friend.
He embraced us in His death and raised us up in His life, pulling us out of death’s grip, to be with Him, forever: Us with Him where He is in Heaven, and He with us where we are on the earth. This is reality now. No pie in the sky. It matters today. Now is the time period where salvation exists. Now is the time and place of God’s favor.7
God wants to be your friend!
He wants to be your friend!
GOD WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND!
He desires you to be aware of Him, of His love within and with you, all the time.
He made our fathers and mothers to walk with Him hand in hand in the garden, in His place of rest.8 Our purpose is to be with Him. He takes great delight in being with you!
Let’s look at the story of the prodigals to see our Father’s love.9
Like the younger son, we can leave, pretend we have no relation to Him, squander His wealth and the life He gave us, and what’s more, His friendship. But His heart pines for us! He is there when you are broken and when you have need of Him. Like the elder son, we can be with our Father, and do things we think we are supposed to be doing, but never really be with Him or know Him, enjoying His friendship and fatherhood. This is because, instead of opening up and valuing the relationship, we think we have to earn His love and withdraw, focusing instead only on our own pains or wants.
Imagine that someone dear to you suddenly left you, ignoring all your calls, forgetting you even existed.This has happened to many people, for various reasons. It is so terribly painful. It is similar when someone you love is with you, but for whatever reason is not emotionally present and is withdrawn, disengaged, or subdued. This is exquisitely painful.
From the time we took His property, telling Him He wasn’t even worth being around, that He was dead to us;10 our Father forgave. He knew we didn’t know what we were doing.11
Your sins are forgiven.
God is full of mercy! Having patiently borne the agony of your absence, He awaits with eagerness a simple remembrance of Him in your heart. Small gestures of love throughout the day are all your Lover requires.12 He is waiting to run and embrace you. The moment you do, you’ll find He is already hugging you!13
If you’ve made a mistake, if you’ve made lots and lots of mistakes, screwed-up, and been utterly deceived – and that weight sits heavily upon you – know that when our own hearts condemn us, God is Love, and He is greater than our hearts!14 His love triumphs!
The Crucified One says, “Come to me. Come to me, all you who are labor, who are weary and heavy-laden, come to me, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”15
See Jesus, crowned with thorns, on the cross. What He went through, looking at us with love and pity, accepting us…. He will fill us with such love that we cannot bear to be away from him. It is literally earthshaking to see Jesus this way.16
He has entered into our pain, shame, pride, malice, and fear, not only bearing them with us, but for us22. Whatever it is plaguing you, give it to Him. Ask Him what He wants to give you in return. Receive it! Be filled with joyful thanksgiving and His glorious life! As He floods us with love, He reminds us who we are – His own, of one nature with him, beloved.
Having been made like us in every respect, our great High Priest17 understands the thoughts and intentions of our hearts,18 knowing why, from our perspective, we make the choices we do. He sympathizes with us in our weaknesses, ready to give us His empowering grace in our time of need. He loves you.19
My friend, we are forgiven much.20
As we prepare to look a little deeper into the foundational essence of this new life with God, know that his invitation does not require a long journey.
He is with us, especially when we call.21
A Prayer:
O Jesus, Sweetness Incomparable! Who is Love like You, bringing us back to our Father? Father, I turn my heart to You now. I will be your friend! Let us now do what You have now so long desired, and walk together hand in hand in the garden of my heart, in the cool of the day, forever.
Footnotes:
- Mk. 13:36
- Jn. 5:19]
- Lk. 23:34.
- Phl. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19; Prv 12:4a
- Eph. 1:23
- Psalm 139; Matthew 6:29-31
- 2 Cor. 6:2
- Heb. 4:10
- Luke 15:11-32
- Tim Keller, The Prodigal God
- Lk. 23:34
- Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God, Letter 7, p.47
- Jas. 4:8 TPT
- 1 Jn. 3:20
- Mt. 11:28-30
- Mt. 27:50-55
- Heb. 2:17
- Heb. 4:12-13
- Heb. 4:15-16
- Lk. 7:47
- Is. 55:6, Deut. 4:7; Ps. 145:18; Is. 65:24
- Is. 53:11
