The Friendship of God

This week, Job offers up his final defence to his friends and God. He reveals that the greatest longing of his heart is a restored intimate friendship with God. This isn't just a prize in the eyes of Job; it is the most fantastic prize any person could ever desire, let alone have. A relationship of glory and enjoyment between God and a person. It is a longing to walk with God that humanity has had from creation and will one day have again. Like all great treasures though, it can only be acquired at great cost. The cost of extreme humility, unanswered prayer, unjust suffering, and perfect obedience. Job's story is a foreshadowing of Jesus'. Jesus' humility, unanswered prayers, unjust suffering, and perfect obedience, and his reward of the ultimate prize, intimate friendship and unity with God. For Job and us, the cost for this treasure has already been paid for by our Lord Jesus Christ, and given freely to us through grace and faith. Such a prize is ours already in Him. The humility, unanswered prayer, and unjust suffering we may experience as believers are God's work in making the sufferings of Christ complete in us. He is waking us up to the glorious prize of friendship with God that we can boldly claim in Jesus' perfect obedience, that we might rejoice more fully in it even today!