It’s 2AM, and I thought I’d share something with you all.

I am doing an assignment for class. You can play too. It’s good. 3 Steps:

1) Read this http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%201:%2015-20&version=31

2) Look at this http://www.eldritchpress.org/jkh/gr5.html

3) read what I wrote just now. Maybe it’ll be worthwhile…

The thing that strikes me is the triumphal manner in which the Colossians passage speaks to who Jesus is. When this is read and then the reality of the cross lies plain before us, we are able to see what a bold and bitter-sweet reality this text shows.

Somehow Colossians and the painter manage to cast Christ’s death in a manner that is lovely and yet haunting, disturbing and yet hopeful. The challenge of this text and the painting (maybe its just 2AM talking, but maybe not) is that it makes me want to cry.

I want to cry that Jesus had to/chose to experience so much pain and suffering in order that I might experience so much beauty through a relationship with Him. In this painting the Lord is dead. I know He didn’t stay that way, but I think the point of this painting is to hammer home the sacrifice he made for us.

We, who are an undeserving bunch of doubting, denying, failing human beings that He loved enough to die for.

Who are we? We are the beloved for whom God incarnate gave up everything.

Who is our Lord? The One who gave up everything only to gain it and share it with us.

Why? Love.The big sort that overwhelms you with the simplicity of its all-encompassing reality.

Will we ever truly grasp the depth of this simply question? No, but hopefully its beauty and challenge will captivate us for eternity.