My family has been watching “The Bible” on the History Channel the past several weeks.  My almost 15 year old daughter, being the teenage girl she is, did not comment on much of the mini series but stated emphatically upon seeing the actor who played Jesus: “Jesus has great hair” (to which none of us could contest).
The thing I loved about watching the mini series on the Bible was exactly that; the “humanness” of those biblical characters.  I loved watching Jesus laughing and putting his arm around someone who wanted to be near him.  I felt so badly for Abraham as he was about to sacrifice his son; a boy he loved as much as I love my boy.  I was relieved to see the fear in Daniel’s eyes in the lion’s den.., relieved to see Daniel was just a normal human being with normal human emotions.  So often I ascribe superhuman status to the men and women in the Bible.  Surely they were superior in their faith and did not have to deal with the doubt, fear and frustration I sometimes feel in my Christian life.  What a relief to see that they experienced all the emotions we do and that they had to take each struggle, challenge and hardship one day at a time and choose to trust God when it was incredibly difficult, seemed counter to logic and reason at times and was not the popular thing to do.
“Lord I thank you for an opportunity to “see” the human side of those who have followed you throughout history.  In my hurried, task oriented way of living I read the Bible without taking time to think about or realize that it always takes intentionality, prayerful courage and faith to follow you.  I know an actor cannot give your life, your sacrifice, your love (or your hair) even a remote likeness of how amazing you are, but thank you for a lifetime to pursue following you, knowing you better and experiencing your great love.  Thank you also for a chance to be reminded that it is always worth it no matter how difficult to follow you. Amen.”
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