Pinocchio

John 14:6  Jesus answered, “I am… the life…”

Have you ever wondered why God created Adam and Eve?  He was already complete in and of Himself. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Perfect Love.  Perfect Fellowship.  Perfect Everything!   Why?

I have a plaque on my wall that says:

This has been attributed, in one form or another, to Robert Lewis Stevenson, Amy Carmichael and Bernard Meltzer, but I think the heart behind this message is God’s.  “For God so loved the world that He gave…”  And it is in those words that I get a glimpse of why God created us.  He wanted to give love… to His children! 

Children resemble their parents (for better or for worse) … and we were made in God’s image.  God is a spirit and He is a triune being – Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  We are a spirit (like God)… we have a soul… and we live in a body.  We also are a three-part being.  God has the power to choose… so do we.  And we chose, like all children do, our own way…   No puppet-children for God! 

In the story Pinocchio, Gepetto wanted a son so he carved one out of wood.  A puppet son!  Better than nothing, I suppose, but could Pinocchio really receive his love?  Could he actually become the son of his heart?  Could he give love in return?  A wish brings the puppet to life… kind of… but he isn’t a “real” boy… yet.

We are born with life… a limited life.  Although the puppet was cute in a wooden sort of way, he was not a son – but he did become the son his father so desired.  In the same way, God has a son – Jesus.  But He had so much love to give He wanted more children to love, so He made us.  However, Adam and Eve sold out to the devil and fell – back to the puppet level – with Satan pulling the strings more often than we’d like to believe.  Jesus came so we can be “real” children again – and He wants to cut those strings!  Pinocchio had to be transformed from a wooden puppet with “life” to a flesh-and-blood boy by a higher power.  In the same way, it is God’s power that changes us.  He gives us “abundant life… life to the FULL!”  

In John 10:10 Jesus said,

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (and pull our strings).
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (no strings attached.)” 

– (ESV and my paraphrase  )  

Abundant life!  What does that really mean?  We have some idea of what life really is, but do we really know?

Ephesians 3: 20 tells us that “He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think…”  It starts by asking.  

God, I want to be Your child.
Thank you, Jesus, that you died for me,
taking my sins… paying my debt…
making it possible to become God’s child.
I give my life to You.
Come live within me, touching my spirit with Your
Holy Spirit… giving me Your life.
Thank you that You have promised to never leave me
… or give up on me.
Change me, Lord, from the inside out.
Thank you!