October 24

The Psalm today --93 -- is one where God is portrayed as a mighty king. "Robed in majesty", "armed with strength".
And it is easy to see God as a king. He certainly has power beyond our comprehension, is able to cause us to live or die, is worthy of gold and silver and bowing and scraping.
For me, what is harder is to see God as a human being. I have always struggled with that whole concept of 'divine made flesh'. Years ago, I simply put that whole question aside and moved on. I just considered that it was a mystery and I would never understand so I just had to accept.
Except, I didn't.
And I knew I didn't, I just really pretended to accept it. The question still rankles and still annoys me, mostly at the most inconvenient time.
Saturday was one of those times.
After my market, I was walking to my truck and I was beat. It had been a busy, busy market day with lots of tasting and I really had to work for my sales. My left knee has been bothering me for a while and it was really hurting. I didn't think I was in the greatest of moods to begin with and then when I got to the parking deck, there was a lady putting flyers on windshields. A big pet peeve of mine.
And they were not nice ones either. All about how a certain politician was going to hell because he killed babies by allowing abortion. I took her flyer off, walked to the trash can and put it there. As I was pulling out, she tried to give me another. I said, not exactly politely, I am afraid... no, thank you. She then proceeded to ask me if I knew Jesus and would he approve of me. I doubt it at that particular moment. I drove away before I could do more harm to myself. She, I think, is already a lost cause.
Or is she?
Because if God is a king, He does have the right to elevate her and crush me. Or vice versa. Or crush us both, which is more my thoughts at this particular moment.
It is tempting for me to think that Jesus is somehow my buddy. We can go for tea. Chat a bit about the Falcons' chances on Sunday. Relate our days. Grump a bit about our spouses (Don for me, the church for him).
I have a hard time imagining that God would do that. For one thing, does God get grumpy or does He just go from happy as a lark with David to spitting mad with Jeremiah? And you have to admit, if you read the Jeremiah 42:1-44:23 passage, He is right mad at those wayward Israelites. They just won't do right. And are we any better than they are? Somehow, with our current lives, I think not.