Day 18…What is your Jesus like

How do you see Jesus as a man? More specificly, how do you see Jesus as he hangs on the cross. If you’re anything like me then you saw him like he was painted in pictures. Tall, lankey, frail, and defeat. His head hung because the weight of the world’s sin was pushing him down. Pushing him down because he was unable to carry it. Eyes closed. More like a halloween skelton hanging on a door then a man.

How could this man save mankind. How could he bridge the way to heaven for us if he couldn’t even die on the cross with strength. Why didn’t God make him stronger. Why didn’t God give us a “MAN” to look up to.

Or did he? Have we watered down Jesus? Have we made him simply a good speaker, a nice guy, a wimp? Is this Jesus the same Jesus who defied the norm? Who called out religious leaders? Who roamed the wilerness? If it is did he really go so quietly on that cross? More like a coward then the man of God?

If that’s how you see him that’s great. If you like the image of Jesus with children on his lap and his head hung on the cross then go ahead. But that is not the Christ I picture walking this Earth. Definatly not the one I picture dying on the cross for our sins.

More like fighting on the cross for our sins. I see him rugged and bloodied. Splinters in his shoulders from carring the cross. I see veins throbbing through his arms and legs as he presses himself up for air. His chest tight from the force on his outstretched arms. I see his arms flexed, hands in fist fighting off the pain of death. Looking as if it hurts but he refuses to admit it. I see him with his head towards the Heavens as blood rolls down his face. His eyes open with a look of fury and his teeth grinding together in wrath as if this bloody mess of a man was ripping himself off the cross. As the weight of each of mankind’s sins knocks him down, he screams and stands back up like a powerlifter coming out of the bottom of his third an final squat attempt at a world record. I see him fighting off death that his earthly body is longing for until his father is ready. I see him staring at the heavens with the thought in his head “Even though you left me Farther. Turn your back on me I will prove to you that I can do it. I will make you proud of your son”. That’s the Jesus I see. A Jesus I want to become.

Is my view wrong? Maybe but it’s mine. What’s your Jesus look like as he hangs from that tree dying for you?

I’m all the way through Genesis 18. 18 beautiful, trying, glorious, hard days into my joureny and now I have a Jesus who I see as a hero. A Jesus who is walking the wilderness path with me. I’m not scared to be on this journey anymore.