“Dad, how did God put us together? Did He use glue or screws?”
That was a recent question from my almost four-year-old son, Owen, who is squarely in the endless curiosity stage of childhood. I did my best to answer, giving a brief explanation about bones, tissue, and ligaments. But somewhere in the middle of my response, he wandered off to his next adventure. I have a feeling he was hoping for an answer involving actual glue and screws.
I love that his little mind is already thinking about more than just what he can see. He sees the skin, freckles, dirt, and scabs. While at the same time, he’s wondering what’s under the surface.
I think, deep down, every single person is wrestling with a slightly more robust version of his question. Stripped down to its core, it’s simply: Is there more? More than my name, my style, my job, my title, my hobbies, my bank account, or my receding hairline (sorry, that got a little personal)? When you peel back those layers, is there more to me?
I once heard someone say—who admitted they’d heard it from someone else—that every person is searching for three things: identity, purpose, and belonging.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul reminds the church in Ephesus that in Christ, all three of those are fulfilled.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
And
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”
Ephesians 2:19
Our identity is God’s handiwork, His beloved creation.
Our purpose is to do good works in Christ Jesus.
And our belonging is found in God’s household, together with God’s people.
No longer are we left wondering what is under the surface of this wild thing we call life. In Jesus, we discover that there is nothing random, by chance, or by accident. There is a perfectly created and orchestrated design to all of this.
Owen walked away unsatisfied with my answer, but I hope that one day he discovers the answer to this deeper mystery. That he would know that there is a God who made him and loves him. That he would know that he has been created with talents and abilities that are to be used for the good of God’s kingdom. And that he belongs to a family of believers around the world who are all connected through Jesus.
And my hope is the same for you. No glue or screws required.
Mikey Sackrider
Mikey is a part of our Christ’s Church family and serves as a Creative Programmer at our Impact ministry partner, Christ In Youth. He is also married to Tara, who serves on our staff as Guest Services Director.
Mikey is pictured here with his wife, Tara, and children, Olivia, Owen, and Ellie.
