Perhaps everyone has two types of friendships: the comfortable, personal relationships and those that are more professional and reserved. Both can be important, profound, and influential, but one is certainly warmer and closer. These personal relationships might be described as those with “fridge rights” they can walk into your kitchen and freely go into your fridge for a snack!
Differences in Relationships
The difference in the closeness of these relationships could be judged by how intimately you know the other person – or perhaps by how intimately you’re willing to be known. In other words – do you see the other’s weaknesses or struggles? Do you see their humanity? And are you willing to allow them to see your struggles as well, or do you maintain a calm, unflappable posture?
Often, we reserve the latter relationships – the more reserved, for professional relationships – or for ones that are more transactional. If we need to get something from someone, we’re hesitant to show our humanity or weakness.
So, with all that in mind: how would you describe your relationship with Jesus? Is it more like the close, warm, personal, and comfortable relationship? Or is it more like the reserved, formal, and even a little standoffish one? When you pray – when you think of Him – when you worship or spend time with him, how do you approach your relationship?
It is absolutely important to never lose sight of who Jesus is – He is the one who will split the sky on a fantastic white horse and bring the entire world to judgment (Rev 19:11-16)! He is King and God, and we must always remember this. This would lead us to think our interactions with him should be more the latter – reserved, calculated, and formal.
The Profound Humanity of Jesus
But let’s consider some of our reading from this week’s Woodlands in the Word passages. Hebrews 4 and 5 treat Jesus’ humanity with a unique tenderness that’s almost uncomfortable. Read these descriptors from those chapters slowly, and allow them to sink into your heart.
Jesus:
- is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (he understands our weaknesses!),
- was tempted as we are,
- is compared to a priest who is “able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward because he is beset with weakness”,
- offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears,
- was reverent,
- learned obedience,
- and suffered.
These are tender, gentle words to describe our Savior.
They are profoundly human.
Our Savior – Our Friend
And they’re words that should drive and flavor our relationship with Jesus. Absolutely, He is God, and King. He will judge, He does rule! And at the same time… He is gentle, and human, and chose to be lowly. He has chosen submission, just as we are to choose submission. He has endured temptation, just as we are to endure temptation. He has experienced heartbreak and heartache, and he has experienced exhaustion and weakness, and suffering.
This tenderness invites us into not the formal, held-back, reserved relationship but a close, personal friendship with Jesus. It brings to mind the picture of Adam, Eve, and God walking in the cool evening of the garden – the picture of a God who takes a stroll looking to walk and spend time with and be delighted by His creation. And it brings to mind Jesus walking into a very different garden on a very different evening, filled with tension and terror, but also deeply desiring His friends by His side, interceding for Him and with Him.
It is a picture of a Savior who came not just to provide a way of salvation for eternity, but also to redeem and restore our humanity. And a Savior who desires to be more than just a God who is monotonously followed – He wants to be our friend.
Hosea 6:3, 6:
Let us strive to know the Lord.
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.
He will come to us like the rain,
like the spring showers that water the land.
“For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”