God is our Friend

Hello, Bridge family. I hope you're all doing well. This week, we shared that God is our Friend. I have to tell you, while I wholeheartedly believe that God is our friend, we must understand that it’s not at all like our earthly friendships. So how can we help our kids understand this unique and special friendship with God?


First, as always, the DigIN@home material is a great way to help us all understand and reinforce the Bible Points we teach each week. I hope you can find time to go through it with your family. We feel it will go a long way in helping you. Direct your children onto the right path (Prov 22.6 NLT). I can’t stress this enough: you all have a greater influence over your children than we ever will. Our hope is that you build on the small foundation we lay out each week. I think you will find this week’s take-home very helpful in helping your children understand what having God as a friend is all about.


Secondly, we all need to understand the unique meaning of saying that God is our Friend. In the book of John, Jesus says, "You didn’t choose me. I chose you" (15:16). We need to understand and be able to share with our children that our desire to be friends with Jesus is because He first came to us; we are simply responding to His calling.


I understand that having God as a friend can seem abstract, probably more so for adults than for children. Because a child’s mind is full of wonder and amazement, I doubt it is really a stretch of the imagination for them, especially for those who are of Bridge age. Let me then encourage you to encourage them to write to God. Or, for our really younger kids, draw God a picture. Not every day, but from time to time, encourage them to sit down and get with their special friend, Jesus. Encourage them to tell their friend how their day went, or what is happening to them that is making them happy or possibly sad. Teach them to share with their friend. I think that could plant a seed that could grow for eternity. How about you?


Remember, as long as your child is at home, you have a wonderful opportunity to share the Bible. Together, explore its stories, talk about how they relate to daily life, and encourage deeper family conversations. This makes faith an exciting and meaningful journey. God bless, and I look forward to seeing your family on Sunday.


Pastor Bob