S72P3 – A friend of God: in the know
John 15:15
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.
As associates, our knowledge of the direction the firm would take came only after those decisions were made. Although we may have disagreed with some of these choices, that practice was standard and expected. For the beginning of my time there I was the low man on the totem pole and would not have expected anyone to consult me before any decisions were made. My position did not change during my time there, but a more seasoned associate became a partner shortly after I joined the team. All of a sudden, he was not only aware of the firm’s decisions before they were finalized, but he was helping decide them. His position gave him access to things which would remain a mystery to me.
Friendship with God grants us access to many secrets. During the time Jesus spent here on Earth, He was in close fellowship with the Father. They had conversations the way a natural son and father would have. There was no barrier between them, and the Father disclosed many things only to the Son. Those secrets, those mysteries, would not be shared with just anyone. Access to the knowledge of the things the Father conveyed to the Son is not for all. Only a select group is worthy of knowing and understanding those things. Jesus shares these mysteries with his friends because the friendship relationship is one of trust and partnership. He trusts us with this knowledge and expects that we steward it wisely.
The mysteries of God certainly can confound the wisest among men. We might think that this is because God is infinitely wiser himself. However, one thing we always must consider is that God can grant to any person the wisdom to understand those secret things about him. It is up to him to give us access to know him better. That access is not given liberally or foolishly. The Lord knows who his friends are, and those are the ones with whom He will share his secrets. If we indeed have become friends of God, then we know that He will reveal more and more of himself to us as we walk with him. Father, thank You for calling us friends and finding us worthy of sharing your secrets with us.