Play nice…share…don’t do that…don’t make me come in there!

That was the illustration of parenting given by Tim Keller a week ago Sunday to communicate what God did when he intervened in human history.  God had to come to us because we were incapable, in fact we failed, of doing all these things (play nice, share, don’t do that) ourselves.  And, unlike the parent who says don’t make me come or else…!  God said, “I am not coming to condemn you but to save you.”  God did not go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger at us telling us how bad we are…that we failed. He came to help us have a whole, fruitful, full and lasting life (he pursues us right into eternity).  Wonderful Counselor…Prince of Peace…Mighty God…He came so that we might have life in abundance.