Is Jesus Really That Big?
As I was about to turn off the lights in my room and close another day in an uncertain world, I glanced at the calendar on my wall. It's kind of funny to me that people are still even making wall calendars after the invention of smart phones. They are pretty much just wall art, and honestly, that's probably why I still have one on my wall. (Plus it was free from a ministry organization.)
January's picture fascinates me. It depicts two big, nearly invisible hands surrounding the Milky Way Galaxy. God's hands.
My mind jumps back in time to a second-grade-teaching memory from seven years ago that hasn't quite faded yet. It was during worship or Bible class one muggy morning in Yap when I noticed a few of the boys whispering energetically, their eyes wide, their imaginations clearly in high gear. Soon, the buzz made it around to some of the other students, and finally, the question burst out into the classroom:
"Teacher! Is Jesus really that big?!" They pointed to a poster hanging just above the chalkboard that they'd somehow just noticed.
I found myself caught between an adult explanation and protecting their childish wonder. An adult finds the symbolism in this picture, but often doesn't even take the time to explore that. But when kids see this picture, they see a Jesus who is literally bigger than the whole earth. Their hearts expand, their eyes widen, their smiles grow. They laugh and imagine and talk about Him in worshipful wonder.
Something changes when you realize God is truly bigger than your world, bigger than the Milky Way, and yet you know He sees you, knows you, and loves you deeply. I don't think I can explain that any better than those 2nd graders, but it's a lesson I'm thankful to be reminded of right now, especially.
May our vision of Jesus grow larger than any threat we may ever fear in this world.
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God...Every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory." - 1 John 5:1,4 (NLT)
January's picture fascinates me. It depicts two big, nearly invisible hands surrounding the Milky Way Galaxy. God's hands.
My mind jumps back in time to a second-grade-teaching memory from seven years ago that hasn't quite faded yet. It was during worship or Bible class one muggy morning in Yap when I noticed a few of the boys whispering energetically, their eyes wide, their imaginations clearly in high gear. Soon, the buzz made it around to some of the other students, and finally, the question burst out into the classroom:
"Teacher! Is Jesus really that big?!" They pointed to a poster hanging just above the chalkboard that they'd somehow just noticed.
I found myself caught between an adult explanation and protecting their childish wonder. An adult finds the symbolism in this picture, but often doesn't even take the time to explore that. But when kids see this picture, they see a Jesus who is literally bigger than the whole earth. Their hearts expand, their eyes widen, their smiles grow. They laugh and imagine and talk about Him in worshipful wonder.
Something changes when you realize God is truly bigger than your world, bigger than the Milky Way, and yet you know He sees you, knows you, and loves you deeply. I don't think I can explain that any better than those 2nd graders, but it's a lesson I'm thankful to be reminded of right now, especially.
May our vision of Jesus grow larger than any threat we may ever fear in this world.
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God...Every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory." - 1 John 5:1,4 (NLT)
That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
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