My Life on a String

Isaiah 46:3-4, “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (NLT)

As I sat writing out this passage in my journal I was struck with an image of Pinocchio and Geppetto. You see, I like to draw in my bible, it helps me process the passages better. And sometimes my mind just goes off on a tangent that seems completely unrelated to the passage I am reading. But stick with me for a minute, I promise it will make sense.

Geppetto created Pinocchio. He was a marionette, meaning he had strings attached to him so that Geppetto could move him around and control his body. Pinocchio wanted to be a real boy. He didn’t want strings. He didn’t want to be controlled. He wanted to be his own person. But then he got caught up in the wrong crowd, telling lies and trying desperately to fit in, all because he wanted to be like everyone else.

Geppetto became heartbroken, watching this little boy he had created disappear. And yet, when Pinocchio humbled himself and came back, Geppetto welcomed him with open arms because he LOVED his creation.

Today I was struck with how much this story mirrors my own journey with God. I have so often wanted to cut the strings that tied me to God. I wanted to be my own person, devoid of biblical or spiritual guidance. I wanted to ignore who had created me. I have lied, been deceitful, angry, and had the wrong friends. And yet, my God continually welcomes be back because he is MY GOD throughout my lifetime. He WILL carry me, if I allow him.

So, I’ve decided to edit Pinocchio’s song just a bit:

I’ve got some strings
to hold me tight
so I can win, and see the light.
I walked away
thought I was free
But I’m better with strings on me!

Hi-ho the me-ri-o
That’s the only way to be.
I want the world to know
That God has always got strings on me!

Getting Dressed Correctly

A few days ago my friend posted a challenge to read the bible for 31 days straight, and all the verses we were challenged to read were about reflecting on Jesus. Not only were we challenged to read them, we were also challenged to re-write the verses.

Being me, I chose to not only write them out, but write them out all creative like. Because that’s how I roll! I have also decided on a personal challenge while reflecting on God’s word. I want to discover something new in each passage I read daily.

Today’s passage is Isaiah 11:1-5. “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot – yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based upon hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.”

The first thing that jumped off the page at me was the fact that Jesus came out of a stump. Generally stumps don’t provide anything viable. Often, stumps are ground down into the ground because they are useless. But if you haven’t cut out the life from the base of that tree, branches WILL spring from the stump. A new tree will try to grow from the old root. Jesus, he grew from an old root, but not only that He came bearing great fruit. Fruit that he was sent to share with the whole world.

The last verse actually spoke volumes to me, basically because I was at first caught off by the word – undergarment. I thought, are we really talking about underwear here? I giggled. Then I really thought about what is being said here, it says that Jesus will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. This means that his body, soul, mind, the core of who He is, was first clothed in truth, and righteousness held all of Him together. That’s how he was able to not judge people based upon their outside appearance. That’s how he loved without pause and indifference. That’s how he cared for the most loathsome. That’s how and why he chose to die for all of the world, because he was daily clothed with truth. He spoke truth. He lived truth. He wore truth and He breathed truth.

I need to make sure that I daily put on truth. That I do not judge others based upon my perceptions of who they are because of their appearance or because of hearsay. That I stand up for the people that are victimized. That I become emboldened to defend those that can’t defend themselves. Not because I’m perfect but because that’s the example that my Savior has set for me.

Happy 31 days of Advent. Let’s center our minds and hearts on the Reason for THIS Season!!!