Who do you say that I am?

Luke 9 : 18 - 22

This is a question all of us have to answer. And not once but many times through our lives. Conversion to the way, the truth and the life of Christ is never achieved in one great moment. It is something that grows and deepens if we allow it, throughout our lives. It is easy to name Jesus as Redeemer and Savior, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Peter had no problem after witnessing the many miraculous deeds and the powerful teaching of his Master. But a suffering savior? Peter's faith at that point had no place for this.

I reflected on this question during a retreat this year. I wrote down the many 'answers' that were real for me, listing down the many ways I have 'met' Jesus. Some of these were:

You are the human face of the unseen God. I have met you in the gospels as someone I can relate to personally. You are the Companion and Friend who says you will never leave me or forsake me. You are the One who loves me too much to let me stay where I am - in bondage to self. You draw me to places I might be hesitant to venture on my own - to transform, heal, bless. You are not always comfortable to be with because you challenge the status quo, not only of external structures, but of the inner framework of my life. You are the One I love and follow yet will never fully understand.

You are the One who suffered for me, suffers with me and in me(?I don't know what this means, as yet). You are the One who brings life out of death, who redeems and transforms pain. You are the God of glory, yet also the God who humbled himself. You are revelation and mystery.......and I can only love and worship without attempting to grasp full understanding.

Lord, please continue to ask me this question, time and again, that I might not settle for comfortable and 'safe' definitions. Draw me into the pattern of Your life, death and resurrection so that I may experience greater fullness of Your reality.

Amen