Behold Your King. Humble.

Behold, your king is coming to you, humble.
Matthew 21:5

How do you view your king–Jesus–coming to you on a daily basis? What words would you use to describe his disposition towards you; the look in his eyes; the words which he speaks to you; the use and placement of his hands; his nearness to (or distance kept from) you? Is there a scowl on his face and a huff in his voice because you (think you can only) annoy him? Is his distant from you, out of earshot and intentionally looking the other way, knowing you are there but trying to avoid you?

These, and pictures like them, are not the Jesus we see in the Holy Gospels. Rather we see Jesus, who is "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, by whom all things were created, in heaven and on earth"...and for him all things were created (Col 1:15-16), we see this Jesus born from the virgin Mary. We see this Jesus feeding the needing, not just with food and drink, but with his very life. We see this Jesus giving time and place to children, the woman at the well, the ostracized. We see this Jesus ask "do you love me?"

Our world is beautiful for it is fashioned by the hands of God who is beautiful. And our world is worn and tattered, both in its physicality–"all creation groans"–and in the spiritual forces that hold sway. And this weariness can muddle the character and disposition of God. Our adversary would love if we only viewed God as a tyrant. Yet what tyrant offers up his one and only son for his enemies?

Behold your king. Humble.

– Matthew+