| | Jesus is pretty radical. Have you noticed it? Have you seen it?
I grew up with this flannel board picture of Jesus: He's always got this all knowing, half smile going on. He has one hand out (no matter what is going on.) He's "meek and mild," according to our teachers. Jesus was predictable. I knew the stories, I knew his message, I knew what he came to do.
Yet recently I was challenged to read the Gospel of Mark with new eyes, to stop reading into the story and instead see what Mark was telling me about Jesus, and I was shocked! The Jesus I encountered wasn't easy to explain away! He wasn't always sweet, meek, and mild. This Jesus was untamable, unflappable, and a little wild. This was a Jesus who spoke harshly to the Pharisees but touched the outcasts. Yet it was also a Jesus who spoke (seemingly) harshly to the Syrophoenician woman, calling her a dog! (I still struggle with this story!) Jesus boldly told his disciples his death was coming, then went to Gethsemane and prayed that it wouldn't happen! Jesus inspires faith in those that meet him, yet his own disciples barely believe. he is an amazing miracle worker, driving out demons and healing all of the sick; he calms storms and he feeds thousands, yet cannot work miracles in places where they have no faith at all.
Jesus defies my expectations, and I wonder what to do with him! I believe that he is LORD; now what does that mean for my life right now. . .
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| | Posted 7/24/2007 4:39 PM - 76 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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