Cultivate a Friendship With Jehovah and With Jesus

1. What shows that Jehovah wants people to know him and love him?

JEHOVAH created us with the capacity to become his friends.a He wants people to know him and to love him. In fact, he knows and loves all those who truly want to be his friends. He listens to their prayers, and he provides the help and guidance that each of them needs. (Ps. 139:1-4) What a delight to have a relationship with our Creator and to know that he wants to have a friendship with each one of us!

2. Why can we be sure that it is possible for imperfect humans to be friends of Jehovah?

² When Adam and Eve sinned, they lost their friendship with Jehovah. As a result, all of us were born alienated from God. (Rom. 5:10) So we might assume that it is impossible for us to have a friendship with him. Remember, though, that Jesus said: “All things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) Because he wants to be our Friend, he has gone to extraordinary lengths to make that possible, even at great cost to himself. (1 John 4:9, 10) Thanks to what Jehovah and Jesus have done, we are able to draw close to God by cultivating a friendship with him and with Jesus.​—John 15:9, 10.

3. How is being a friend of Jehovah different from being a friend of a fellow human?

³ Our relationship with the almighty God is different from our friendship with a fellow human. As the Creator, Jehovah is far superior to us. It is a grand and undeserved privilege to build a friendship with him. (Ps. 15:1) In this article, we will first consider why we can be sure that Jehovah wants us as his friends. Then, we will discuss why he is by far the best Friend anyone could ever have. And finally, we will examine how we can cultivate a friendship with Jehovah and with Jesus.

JEHOVAH WANTS US TO BE HIS FRIENDS

4. What might we sometimes wonder?

⁴ Because we are imperfect and make many mistakes, we might at times wonder if Jehovah really wants to be our Friend. We know that Jehovah offers us everlasting life. (Rom. 6:23) But does he really want a personal friendship with us?

5. Why can we be confident that Jehovah wants to be our Friend? (See also picture.)

⁵ We can be confident that Jehovah wants to be our Friend because he paid the highest price​—the life of his only begotten Son—​to save us. (John 3:16) Jehovah arranged to do this right after Adam and Eve rebelled. (Gen. 3:15) Their rebellion and our inherited sin have not kept Jehovah from being a loving Father. (Jer. 31:3) Although we are sinners, Jehovah’s actions clearly show that he wants to be our Friend.

6. How does Jehovah help us draw close to him? (James 4:8)

⁶ Jehovah does not simply offer his friendship; he encourages us to build a close relationship with him. (Read James 4:8.) He knows that we are imperfect. Yet, he lovingly draws each one of us to him. (John 6:44) He encourages us to speak to him regularly, to confide in him, and to open our heart to him. (Lam. 2:19; Phil. 4:6, 7) He not only listens to our prayers but also responds to them. (Matt. 7:7, 8) Thus, we have every reason to believe that Jehovah wants us to be his friends. Let us now consider why Jehovah is the best Friend we could ever have.

WHY JEHOVAH IS THE BEST FRIEND ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE

7. What quality does Jehovah show toward his friends, and what does it mean for us? (Exodus 34:6)

⁷ Jehovah shows loyal love. Jehovah loves all people, but he treats his friends in a special way​—he shows them loyal love. (Ps. 4:3) Why is that significant? Because loyal love is motivated by commitment and deep attachment. (See Glossary, “Loyal love.”) The Bible tells us more than 20 times that Jehovah’s loyal love is abundant, or great. (Read Exodus 34:6.) What does that mean? When Jehovah becomes our Friend, he sticks to us. He does not abandon us because of our imperfections and mistakes. Instead, Jehovah’s loyal love moves him to forgive us and help us.​—Ps. 103:11, 12.

8. How did Jehovah show that he never forgot his friends Abraham and David? (See also picture.)

⁸ Jehovah never forgets his friends. For example, hundreds of years after Abraham died, Jehovah still called him “my friend.” (Isa. 41:8) And think of King David. Jehovah promised him that his throne would be firmly established forever. (1 Chron. 17:11-17) Jehovah never forgot that promise. Hundreds of years after making it, Jehovah confirmed that he would give Jesus “the throne of David his father.” (Luke 1:32, 33) Then in 1914, Jehovah fulfilled his promise when he placed Jesus on the throne of David as the Messianic King.

9. What can you learn from Hannah’s experience? (See also picture.)

⁹ At this point, you might be thinking: ‘Abraham and David were special. I’m just an ordinary servant of Jehovah.’ If that is how you feel, consider the way that Jehovah dealt with Hannah, whose husband had two wives. Hannah was not able to have children, and her rival wife, Peninnah, tormented her about that. (1 Sam. 1:4-7) Hannah may have wondered if Jehovah had forgotten her. However, she poured out her heart to Jehovah in prayer. (1 Sam. 1:11, 15) In response, Jehovah proved to be a good Friend to Hannah. He not only listened to her prayer but also acted in her behalf by giving her the ability to have children.b Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son whom she named Samuel. (1 Sam. 1:20) Later, Jehovah blessed her with three more sons and two daughters. (1 Sam. 2:21) Truly, Jehovah shows loyal love to all his friends​—even those who feel insignificant or worthless.​—Jer. 31:3.

10. What makes Jehovah’s guidance far superior to that of humans? (Psalm 119:98-100)

¹⁰ Jehovah’s guidance is perfect. Jehovah gives us direction, counsel, and wisdom. He is the best Adviser anyone could ever have! (Read Psalm 119:98-100.) He knows everything and wants what is best for us. (Isa. 48:17, 18) People will pay imperfect humans for “expert” advice on how to be successful in life. We have something far better. We can turn to the almighty God of the universe, Jehovah. His guidance is perfect, always available, and free. He never sleeps, he never gets tired, and he always listens when we pray. (Ps. 121:1-4) And we always benefit when we listen to his advice.​—Ps. 1:2, 3.

11. What shows that Jehovah is a generous Friend?

¹¹ Jehovah is generous. He shows this quality in everything he does. He gives us life and all we need to enjoy it. (Ps. 145:16; Acts 14:17) He generously gives us wisdom to cope with the challenges we face. (Jas. 1:5) And he freely forgives us when we sin. He even goes beyond that. Despite our imperfection, he dignifies us, helping us to feel loved and respected. His greatest gift​—the life of his beloved Son—​opens the way for us to live forever. What a generous Friend Jehovah is! How can we become​—and remain—​his friend?

HOW WE CAN CULTIVATE A FRIENDSHIP WITH JEHOVAH

12. What do you learn from Hebrews 11:6 about how to cultivate a friendship with Jehovah?

¹² Jehovah expects us to do our part to cultivate and maintain our friendship with him. (Read Hebrews 11:6.) In addition to believing that Jehovah wants to reward us, three things are required of those who want to remain Jehovah’s friend.

13. What does it mean to fear God?

¹³ We must fear Jehovah. Psalm 25:14 says: “Close friendship with Jehovah belongs to those who fear him.” What does it mean to fear God? It means that we love him so much that we would never want to displease him. Therefore, when making decisions, we consult his Word. (Prov. 3:5, 6) When we follow the guidance of our loyal Friend, we will make wise decisions and be successful. That is why Proverbs 9:10 says that the fear of God is “the beginning of wisdom.”

14. What are some ways that we show our loyalty to Jehovah?

¹⁴ We must be loyal to Jehovah. Just as Jehovah is loyal to his friends, he expects us to be loyal to him. (2 Sam. 22:26; Prov. 3:32) We prove that we are loyal to Jehovah in the following ways: We put him first in our life. We imitate Jesus’ example by telling others about Jehovah and His wonderful qualities. (Matt. 28:19, 20) And we remain faithful to Jehovah, no matter how much our enemies might oppose us. We do not allow anything to hinder our friendship with our loyal heavenly Father.

15. How can we show loyal love to others?

¹⁵ We must show loyal love to others. Jehovah wants his friends to imitate him in showing loyal love. Thus, we show loyal love to our friends​—his friends. We do not forget the kind deeds that others have done for us. We stick to our friends. We look for ways to be kind and generous to them. Jehovah wants us “to love loyal love.” (Mic. 6:8, ftn.) The next article will explore specific ways we can show love to others. But now, let us consider how we can cultivate a close friendship with Jesus.

HOW WE CAN CULTIVATE A FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS

16-17. (a) How do we know that Jesus wants to be our friend? (b) In what ways is our friendship with Jesus different from our friendship with Jehovah?

¹⁶ Jesus has shown that he wants to be our friend. How? Before we were even born, Jesus gave his life for us. He said: “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.” (John 15:13) What a powerful act of friendship!

¹⁷ Jesus invites each of us to become his close friend. (Matt. 11:28-30; John 15:15) Our relationship with Jesus, however, is different from our relationship with Jehovah. For example, we do not pray to Jesus or worship him. (Matt. 4:10; 6:9) But our gratitude for everything he does for us moves us to want to enjoy a close and meaningful friendship with him.

18. What does Jesus do for us?

¹⁸ As our friend, Jesus does so much for us. For example, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah, he has become a “Wonderful Counselor,” an “Eternal Father,” and the “Prince of Peace.” (Isa. 9:6) As our “Wonderful Counselor,” he gives us practical, lifesaving advice. Jehovah has granted Jesus the opportunity to be an “Eternal Father” to those who are given the prospect of living on earth forever. (John 11:25, 26) He can sympathize with us because he was “tested in all respects.” (Heb. 4:15) And as the “Prince of Peace,” he helps us to enjoy a peaceful relationship with our Father, Jehovah. Jesus is truly a wonderful friend!

19. How do we cultivate a friendship with Jesus? (John 15:14) (See also picture.)

¹⁹ What is our part in cultivating a friendship with Jesus? (1 Pet. 1:8) We carefully study his words and actions, which are recorded in the Gospels. Then when making decisions, we follow his advice and example. We also respect his loving authority and obey his direction. (Read John 15:14.) This means that we gladly support congregation arrangements. We cooperate with those whom Jesus has provided to care for us. (Eph. 4:8; Heb. 13:17) And we faithfully carry out any assignments he gives us through the congregation. Jesus notices and values our efforts to be his friends.

20. How do you feel about being a friend of Jehovah God and a friend of Jesus Christ?

²⁰ What an amazing privilege it is to have a friendship with the almighty God and with his Son, Jesus Christ! As our best Friend, Jehovah listens to our prayers and lovingly responds. He and his Son continually provide for our spiritual needs. (Matt. 5:3) How we treasure their friendships! May we always be their loyal friends.