Isn't this something we want? Don't we wish we were a friend of God and could converse with Him? Or, maybe not. Maybe that is disturbing and we would rather be left alone.
There’s a new TV show on CBS this season called God Friended Me. At first, I thought it would be disrespectful, showing God in some common, unscriptural mantra. However, I have been pleasantly surprised and see some important points regarding a relationship with God.
1. Even when we don’t want a relationship with God, He wants us relationship with us and pursues it. The main character, Miles, is an atheist and tries to do anti-God podcasts, but they’re thwarted. Instead, God keeps pursuing him via social media messages, that point to people or events that need help. Miles calls this the God account, and thinks he is being set-up, so he is out to discover who is behind this.
2. God can speak to us any way He chooses. He even spoke to Balaam through a donkey. Social media is not that far-fetched. God wants to get our attention.
3. The second greatest commandment is to love others as yourself. We demonstrate our love for God by showing love for others. God has called us to make a difference in this world through our actions and interactions. Each episode highlights a person or persons who are in trouble. Miles learns about them through mysterious messages from God on social media. Compassion, forgiveness and assistance are some of the ways God “calls” Miles to engage. His motivation is not to serve God, though, but to discover who is behind the God account.
I don’t know where this series will lead. I assume that the mystery of who is responsible for the God account will remain a mystery. Miles is moving from atheism to creating a dialogue about the existence and nature of God. The sad thing is, that since this is indeed a secular show, the most important component will be missing: responding to God with repentance and belief in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and accepting His offer of salvation by grace. Miles may do a whole lot of good, for whatever motive, but good works do not save or even establish a relationship with God. We are still sinners until Jesus makes us righteous, and even our best efforts are as dirty rags. But, thanks be to God. He loves us, pursues us, interacts with us in a variety of ways, and really does want to “friend us.” Yes, I want to be friends with God and I am so grateful that I have that possibility because of Jesus.