Not long ago I came up behind a car bearing a New Mexico personalized license plate which read ISGOD4U. My first reaction was to wonder whether the real question should not be RU4GOD. After further reflection, though, I realized that both concepts would be scriptural.
My initial thought was based on the concept that, although God continues to love his creation at all times, not all men will be saved because they will refuse to follow him. I thought of the incident of the golden calf, when Moses asked, "Who is on the Lord's side?" (Ex 32:22) If we are not, like the Levitical tribe, on the Lord's side then God can never be for us. Jesus said there is no middle ground. "He that is not against us is for us." (Lk 9:50)
Joshua put it simply. "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Josh 24:15) If he had a chariot it might carry the license plate IAM4GOD. Joshua understood that God will not forsake those who trust in him.
Paul had the same idea. Romans 8:26-28 talks about the Spirit helping our prayers. He concludes by saying, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." John phrased it "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) God grants His fellowship and cleansing to those who walk in his light. (See page 1)
On the other hand, the owner of that license plate obviously had in mind Romans 8:31—"If God be for us, who can be against us." We want God to be for us.
We want God for us because of the advantages. If God is for us we will be abundantly blessed, both physically and spiritually. (Matt 6:25-33; Eph 1:3)
If God is for us, he has something better for us than the faithful of old. Hebrews 11 talks about all the faithful people who followed God before Christ. The writer concludes by saying, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." (Heb 11:39-40)
We want God on our side, because then we will be winners. It's like a bunch of kids on the playground choosing teams for football or red rover or any other game. The first one picked is either the biggest or the best, and its even better if he is both. Well, God is both. Can you imagine somebody choosing the small, weak, untalented one first? Worse yet, can you imagine somebody picking a team and the last one picked is the best player? Unfortunately, there are many who do this. They don't want God on their team, even though he has never been on a losing team and never will be.
I want to be a winner. Therefore, IM4GOD and, as a result, GODS4ME.