emmauel

glitter jesus courtesy of amy borzio-andrews.

this morning, on an innocent walk through borders looking for journals for MBCC, i had a vision in the form of a plastic, glitter covered jesus bank.

yes, you deposit your spare change into jesus.

and i am without a good segue into what i really want to say about jesus, so here goes.

i have been pondering what jesus means to me lately. it has come up over and over again as something i need to articulate in faith statements, etc. and yes, my jesus is probably covered in glitter (but it would be purple glitter) but that is besides the point. for me, the dominant characteristic of the jesus who is a savior for me is jesus as emmanuel... God with us.

jesus is unique because jesus was a manifestation of God among us, with us, through is. divinity lived in a human body. divinity got cranky when he was hungry as a child, divinity needed to take naps. divinity required both time alone and time with people. jesus stubbed his toe, got hangnails, and gave hugs. he felt hunger and thirst. he gets it.

sitting in our closing ritual of our leadership class, i was reflecting on what gives me confidence to be a leader, what makes me able to get in front of a room full of people and preach, what alows me to talk to people i do not know and the answer is emmanuel. God with us. i don't think i could do ministry without an immanently present God. and often, God with us is what makes me able to get on a plane when i am scared, to say i am sorry when i am wrong, to relaize i am wrong, and to reach out in love to others.

God with us.