this feels fitting:Friendship with Jesus
image from Casa Rodena by m r n
Cheers and hope for a Merry Christmas!
As the counting down or up to Christmas has arrived, the remembrance and celebration of Jesus’ coming to incarnate God’s presence for us, this feels fitting to have surfaced, the imagery and theme of Friendship with Jesus arising from within. And without. As I sit this morning making breakfast plans for tomorrow with a friend, this sparks in my morning readings, inviting the pondering of my friendship with Jesus and with others. As I linger in this theme, I am reminded of a recent day when I walked the vineyard of Casa Rodena here in Albuquerque, holding in my imagination walking with Jesus as friend. Also, in preparation for sharing a similar message of hope at the December Come Away Retreat this beloved conversation Jesus experienced with his disciples long ago.
But first, coming to be with us as an infant. He then grew to be more; our Savior and Friend.
Friendship with Jesus has been coming up lately in some spiritual direction conversations, a wondering of this might be:
What might friendship with Jesus look like in your life?
For me this has been like a tree’s growing cycle, steady and slow. A long conversation of readings, singing, prayers, journaling, listening, walking and wondering. Like a stroll in the loose dirt of a vineyard, kicking up dust, watching and waiting for the pruning and vines to grow again, leaves and fruit, and more, that of being connected to other vines (people). Both imagery and experiences call out friendship with Jesus.
A wondering. What does this present season in your life of friendship look like,
With Jesus? With others?
“I have called you MY friends”
Some beautiful insights are given to us in a conversation Jesus was having with his closest friends while walking through vineyards and a path leading to the Garden at Gethsemane. He names what friendship looks like and calls those close to him friends. The light of friendship entails the beautiful qualities of love, and unselfishly seeking the best for one another. “No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends” John 15:13
Calling one a friend is powerful and revealing a closeness and belonging. Jesus exemplified this for us by his calling and actions. “You are my friends…I don’t call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you MY friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. Love and unselfishly seek the best for one another” [AMP John 15:14-17]
Jesus’ friendship qualities are personal, deep and close. There is so much to hear and glean from His incarnate presence from baby to his time of the cross. As you and I celebrate His coming this Christmas, may we also sit with His presence of being our friend. Friend of all friends, who came and still remains. How might this encourage us to walk a vineyard or path and have a conversation with Him? Or to call us into friendship with Him once again? And may He too hold us in loving friendship with one another.
