Our good news is my blood cooperated in the University of Penn labs and so I will be white mouse number nine in a research study that so far has had a 100% remission rate for those with my type of leukemia. When I mention that there are only fourteen slots in the study, I am most always asked how did you get in? The answer is “I have friends in high places.”
It never hurts to have important powerful friends. I grew up with this one particular friend. I first met Him when I was very small. I sang a song about Him. “Jesus Loves Me This I Know.” Soon afterwards I learned another song about Him. “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” Talk about friends in high places. It doesn’t get any higher than that.
Christianity is especially unique in its core doctrine of developing a personal relationship with God. While He indeed is one to revere, worship and hold in awe, there is this friendship issue with Jesus and His insistence that we call His Father “Our Father.” Sometimes people miss this and say such things as, “Other faiths also have high moral codes.” That is very true. They do. While morality is indeed extremely important it is not the core belief. The core is God is a Father who pursues us, woos us and sacrifices self for us. Christianity is a love story. It is about a heaven filled with caring beings who want the best for us. It is about grace and forgiveness and personal growth. It is restoration to the perfection of Adam and Eve when God said, “Let’s make man in our image.” He wants us to be His friends as well as His children.
Written by Roger Bothwell on July 3, 2012
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org