II Corinthians 5 closes with Paul pleading to us to claim the wondrous gift God is offering us. He points out that God has already done everything necessary for our salvation. Paul implores us to do it. He wrote, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
In “The Message” the paraphrased words “be reconciled to God” are intriguingly rendered, “Become friends with God, he’s already a friend with you.” Each time I read this I think of a song from one of my favorite children’s movies “Toy Story.” It is difficult not to like Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Mr. Potato Head. However the best part is Randy Newman’s song, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Some of the lyrics go like this, “If you got troubles I got them too. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. We stick together. We can see it through cause you’ve got a friend in me. . . And as the years go by, our friendship will never die. You’re gonna see it’s our destiny. You’ve got a friend in me.”
The provision God made occurred at the cross. Without that sacrifice no one could be saved. How grand that the one arm of the cross extends to the past and the other to the future. Provision was made for the billions who lived B.C. and for the billions that have lived A.D. God has friends on both sides of the cross. Abraham was a friend of God. James 2:23
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 23, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org