Developing friendships is part of the cycle of life. After being born into your family, you learn to make friends as you go to school. Your largest circle of friends is probably formed during your high school years. Things definitely change when you graduate from high school or college. At this stage, you are supposedly prepared for life in the “real world.” Immediately you have no choice but to narrowly shift your focus from the many acquaintances you had in high school or college to a specific career, a few friends, and your family. Similarly, the focus on your spiritual (eternal) journey undergoes narrowing shifts. Your circle of influence becomes more focused and less general as to the number of people to whom you are exposed on a daily basis.
Graduating and reaching adulthood marks the beginning of the next phase of your life, in the same way that Christ’s death justified you as a part of the God Family, marking a new chapter. First, justification occurs. Then, and only then does the process of sanctification begin. Being sanctified (being called to be separate and holy) means you are in the process of narrowing many relationships to the few who are most important, which includes becoming deeply dedicated to The God Family. Your Family membership is what justifies your eternal position.
Christ illustrated His concept of relationships with people by spending time with them. Who were Christ’s friends? Do not jump to the conclusion that His only friends were His disciples! Scripture reveals that Jesus loved John (the apostle), but He also loved others. For example, John 11:3 shows us that Jesus loved Lazarus. Yet, He did not call Lazarus to be an Apostle. As a matter of fact, Scripture does not note a single time where Jesus asked him to do anything from a ministry perspective. Still, from documents like Gamaliel’s report to the Sanhedrin (The Archko Volume) we know that Jesus spent long hours of discussion with Lazarus, even days in the mountains just “hanging out” with him while the disciples were home with their families and friends. That is what you do with intimate friends: hang out with them and become part of their lives.
Spending time hanging out with each Member of The God Family will allow you to find joy, peace, and contentment in each of their very different presences. God is not ONE big ethereal puff of smoke. He can’t be. How could He exhibit love and goodness if He were one lone being? (John 4:16) Love and goodness can only exist in relationships. A relationship requires that there be at least two individuals. Remember, Christ said we must approach the Kingdom with the mind of a child. Divinity designed the Kingdom to be very simple and straightforward—like a family. A natural family structure is basic and uncomplicated. It has hierarchy, relationships, and responsibilities—all of which are tied together with love. The relationships within The God Family exhibit the traits of joy, peace and contentment as a pattern for our everyday earthly relationships, and our eternal relationships with each Member of the Trinity.
We know them as the Trinity, but we need to focus on their individuality. Only then can you understand their unique roles in your lives. Each is an individual and brings something different to the table without compromising their unity. Tomorrow we will begin to unravel some of those uniqueness’s so you can understand when where and how the relationships can and should differ.
Love Dad