How do you imagine Jesus?

How do you visualise Jesus? Do you see him as a white, slightly emaciated, male ?

This photo is apparently of the crucified Jesus as portrayed in Korea. It gives him the physique of Rambo with... well you can see!

What do I make of this. I was actually confused when I first saw it as I didn't know what to think. It looks wrong. But then all our representations of Jesus are by their nature wrong. There were no portraits made two thousand years ago. It also highlights how we can be in danger of making Jesus into our own image - of making him fit our culture and racial stereotypes. I have seen images that portray Jesus with Asian, African and European characteristics as well as some that make him look uncomfortably Arab like. We have to return to the truth that the Son of God Jesus transcends all our images of Him!

Perhaps this image is Jesus for body-builders and we should leave it at that!


Source of picture - It was posted on Facebook - I don't know the origin or the copyright position!

Wedding poem

I have conducted many marriage ceremonies and the following poem is a popular choice. It combines realism with idealism and unlike some poetry is accessible by anyone.

Wedding Vow by Wendy Cope

I cannot promise never to be angry;

I cannot promise always to be kind.

You know what you are taking on, my darling –

It's only at the start that love is blind.

And yet I'm still the one you want to be with

And you're the one for me – of that I'm sure.

You are my closest friend, my favourite person,

The lover and the home I've waited for.

I cannot promise that I will deserve you

From this day on. I hope to pass that test.

I love you and I want to make you happy.

I promise I will do my very best.

Image courtesy of Boykung at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What God wants me to be...

Am I what God wants me to be? Do I worry that I should be something else? Am I happy in my skin? Do I dream of being someone else?  George MacDonald has a word of wisdom for anyone who doubts their own identity:

"I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest and most precious thing in all thinking.” 
― George MacDonald


Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net