What a wonderful week celebrating the friendship of God. We have learned that God is a friend who is real; God is a friend who loves; God is a friend we can trust; and God is a friend forever. This is our final day of VBS and we are reminded that God is a friend for everyone! 

After Jesus returned to heaven, his followers knew they couldn’t keep the amazing news of God’s Son to themselves! A man named Paul devoted himself to traveling throughout the Mediterranean and Asia to let everyone know about Jesus. Paul wanted the world to know that Jesus—God’s Son—had died, risen, and would give eternal life to all who believed. This good news meant life for Jews, non-Jews, people who believed in false gods—everyone! 

 

During his first missionary journey, Paul met a group of women gathered near a river for prayer. These women believed in the one true God, but they hadn’t heard about Jesus. Paul’s words had a profound impact on one woman in particular, Lydia. This business woman insisted that she and her entire household get baptized! Because of Paul’s message, she became the first Christian in Europe, and her home became one of the first churches. 

 

So much seems set out to divide us today. We tend to compartmentalize people by race, political party, church denomination, “pro” or “anti” this-and-that—the list is endless. As a result, we may view people in groups that we are (or aren’t) part of; and too often, people view Christians as exclusive, seeking to keep people out. Yet God loves everyone! Jesus died for everyone! A friendship with God is a possibility for everyone! No one is left out or excluded from a friendship with God! How freeing…and unifying! 

 

Do you truly view ALL people in the world as those God dearly and desperately loves? Paul sailed to new lands to be sure everyone, including a business woman named Lydia, knew the good news of Jesus! NO ONE should be left out of God’s loving friendship. Who can you tell today?! God is a friend for everyone! Thanks, God!

 

Kimberly Jewell