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How We Picture God

I saw an interesting picture that someone posted on Facebook that made me think, so I thought I would share my thoughts in writing. I don't think this blog will have anything to do with teaching, but that's okay : ) Here's the picture...



My first thought was, "Would he? I really can't picture kind mild shepherd Jesus holding a gun." I realized I had this crazy picture in my head of a younger skinny white man with a beard looking apprehensively at the gun in his hand like it's going to hurt him. This is a ridiculous picture of Jesus! Jesus was kind, fair, righteous, loving, and sinless, when he walked the Earth, but He was also God. God doesn't mess around. He gives people chance after chance after chance to screw up and be forgiven. He has more patience then I can even fathom for putting up with all of us humans and waiting patiently for us to stop being so stupid and obey. There are times and circumstances, however, when God will use violence. The biggest and fastest-firing gun in the world isn't going to look like anything next to some of the things that we can read about in Revelations. God helped some leaders destroy cities and conquer armies. (I'm pretty sure this involved the use of some weapons.) He made two bears maul 42 people for disrespecting God's words and works.  In Acts he made two people fall to the ground dead because of their lies. Judges has some incredibly violent stories about the different people that saved the Israelite people. All throughout the old testament, swords played a part in God's plan.

 If God had had a different plan, I could see Jesus having a gun. Maybe he would hunt with it. Maybe he would trap shoot with it. Maybe he would still choose not to own one because it didn't fit into God's plan. Maybe he would have been a sniper. I honestly think the person who is proudly sporting this bumper sticker needs to rethink how they picture God. I wonder if they have considered more than just the white-robed man surrounded by animals with a child on his lap because there is a lot more to God then that, and I think it's good for us to remember the other sides of God as well.

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