I woke up with a thought…..
“Jesus professed to be God”.
And how no one….not Mohammed, or Buddha, or Gandhi, or Moses…..
Ever said that they were in fact, Christ.
And yet, Jesus professed….
He has been with God from the beginning of time. (John 17:5)
And He was crucified because His claim didn’t change. (John 10:31-33)
Unlike others….when tortured or mistreated……recounted their testimony in hopes to relieve suffering.
Not Jeus.
And when asked…..“Are you Christ, the son of the blessed one?” (Matt. 14:61, 62) (Luke 22:70)
Jesus answer was…
“I am”……..”And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
What mere man would claim that?
But, then…..
What about those who professed greatness? The leaders. Dictators. The remembered ones….
Apart from Jesus.
Their words and their character…..seemingly one.
1) I am great.
2) And……I sit upon a throne.
Meaning…..
I Wield power. Wanting front and center. Display greatness…..not just in words……but in demeanor .
Yet, Jesus did not…..at least how we see it.
He came not to rule castles. Or to wear glimmering robes. He came not to show greatness to Kings and their drones.
He simply chose…..
A Manger.
A Manger…..and a desert……
And poor people. And lepers.
And disciples…..so unworthy.
And a mother….just a virgin.
And a life…..of wandering……
With broken people.
Prostitutes. Tax Collectors. And the least of these…..
Prostitutes. Tax Collectors. And the least of these…..
Children.
Jesus chose Calvary…..When he could have recounted His God claim……Instead of suffering.
But He did not.
He chose the cross.
So, as logic goes….
If words come from the abundance of our hearts…….Yet, the fruit of our lives is evidence of what we are…..
Could Jesus have said He was God……and been a servant?
Not a man on a throne…..like we normally see it.
And was it….His Kingdom was not of this world?
And the value of heaven…….is upside-down in a way we don’t completely know.
Either Jesus’ heart was misaligned. He said He was King…..and acted like a Servant……
Which couldn’t be so.
Maybe for a season…..But, not for a lifetime. Not enough to live it and die it.
For how many believe something enough…..to die for it?
Or……He is what He said He was…..God.
And the God of His Kingdom valued greater things than…..
Control. Prideful arrogance. Strict rule. Forced compliance…..
But, freedom. Humility. And servant-hood. A life of more than, “Being Good.”
But a position of laying down one’s life in compassion and sacrifice.
For why else…..would the Son of God….come so humbly…..
And at the same time…..Go to the cross?
Could it be….in part….Christ died as an example for us…..of how to live?
Yet, we often want the Kingdom and not the King. Want His title…..but not His journey.
We struggle….separating…..False kings from the real King. Empty titles…..from The Real Thing….the heart of it all….
Jesus.
And yet, in the Bible, Jesus says…..
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to the Father except through me.”
In false religions…..He is the missing piece.
This God-Man. The most unlikely one. This Prince of Peace…..who washed feet…..and was whipped and belittled and tortured…..
Though He was without sin.
And I curl up with pajamas, coffee…..and my understanding of Jesus: A God-man who loved us enough to be mistreated. One who was what He said, God…..but came like a servant.
And I want to be like Him…..
Professing boldly the cross……
But surrendering completely….
Like Jesus.
Linking this post w/ Scenic Sunday & Spiritual Sundays & Michelle & Emily at Imperfect Prose
23 Comments
Whenever I read your post I get goose bumps. I know as you write, you are hearing directly from heaven. It is
such a blessing to read your post, it is always a blessing to my soul.
A powerful reminder of God’s character, His sacrifice, unconditional love, His guidelines for living and His desire that all should come to know Him. May your week be truly blessed.
I’m so glad that Jesus indeed IS the one who he claimed to be! It makes all the difference.
Beauty – Thank you. Praying somehow…an all powerful God can use an empty, broken vessel like me…
Valerie – Thank you. You also have a very blessed week. He is worthy, so, so worthy….isn’t He, my friend! 🙂
Lisa – Amen, my sister! All the difference, for sure!
Each time I stop by your blog, I am struck by the power of God’s Word. I am so thankful for how you keep His Truth grounded in what you have to say. As your words swirl over His promises, like poetry, I always feel a refreshing, Holy Spirit breeze. Be blessed.
Matthew – So thankful for His grace…that you might see glimpses of Him….as I clumsily write His burden’s on my heart. May His blessings about in your life as well. ~ Jen
Thank you Jesus
How blessed we are by His saving grace to know and and believe with faith and trust in our hearts that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life!!! Lovely post Jen! 🙂
Blessings to you for a day of joy!~
Denise
Your post hit me today. I feel like I am not practicing the humility that Jesus wants from me. Thank you for this beautiful reminder, Jen. God bless!
I love how you summed it up with wondering if Jesus died in a way to show us how to live! Going to quote that!
Jen…this is powerful…and yes…I too..want to be like Him…professing boldly the cross…but surrendering completely…oh just to profess without the surrender can be so harmful…
Blessings my friend…
Crystal – Isn’t He just so good, my friend! 🙂
Denise – Awesome, isn’t it…to think of His glorious grace.
Irene – As fallible flesh, I think none of us are fully practicing the humility He desires for us. Thanking Him for grace today.
Shanda – I know, huh, Shanda. I am thinking I need to put up some crosses in my house as a reminder of how He died…and how I am called to live. How easily we forget. Thankful for His emblem of grace…
Ells – Such truth, my friend. Yet, which of us have not done this at times. Makes me want to watch my words oh so carefully…that we might live to represent Him well.
Thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments. By each of you, I feel so blessed! ~ jen
I love how your post contrasts Jesus’ humility with those photos of His majestic creation. Lovely!
Following by from Tuesday Friend Connect to say hello.
Have a great day!
POSH
http://poshonabudget.com/2011/11/tuesday-friend-connect-and-google-follow.html
Renee – Hhmmm. Never thought about that! He is humble, but yet, majestic at the same time, isn’t He!? Thanks for sharing your observations. Blessings ~ jen
Posh – So thrilled you came by to follow! Thank you!
Professing bold, surrendering completely. Yes. That is the freedom we can take hold of, can live out as Christ did. Thanks for your words!
I love reading about our sovereign King coming to us as a humble baby, wrapping a towel around himself and washing feet, taking the 30 lashes and then submitting to the cross. My King… and yet I think sometimes service is beneath me. Who do I think I am? Thank you.
he taught us much of the humility that it takes to be like him…and in how he chose what to be adamant about and what he chose to let be….
There is no doubt in my mind that He was who He said He was. No mere human could possibly have done what He did.
Blessings,
Charlotte
you have a beautiful way of making me realize the gospel anew, every time, friend. what a gift. thank you.
Great post – I was also encouraged by your writings on adoption. Thanks!
Janae – Thanks, my friend, for commenting!
Happy – Oh, how we all struggle with false notions of self-entitlement and pride. Only on our journey to the cross does He show us otherwise. Thankful for His bountiful grace that continually reveals the truth to us. Blessings to you today. ~ jen
Brian – The great truth revealer. The Ultimate Discerner. The most careful one with words. One we all can learn from. Christ. Thanks for you comment this day, Brian. ~ jen
Charlotte – Amen, my friend!
Emily – You are the one so many of us learn from. Yet, Christ….the greatest example of all. Thanks for your comment.
Old Ollie – So thankful! May God alone be glorified! Oh, how worthy He is!
Oh, such a desire of my heart — to be like Jesus. As you said, “Professing boldly the cross…surrendering completely.”