When the Holy Spirit came to the crowd on that day of Pentecost, everyone was amazed, because they heard about the wonderful works of God in their own language. No matter their home base, ethnicity or dialect, they heard and understood the message clearly, even if it sounded different to each of them.
The way we have so often seen Jesus depicted over the years, at least in popular North American society, is as a sandy-haired, blue-eyed white man. If we take the Biblical story literally though, someone born in the Middle East at that time probably didn’t look like that in real life. Perhaps in the past, folks from other cultures have found it challenging to accept a God who seemed to look so different from the people in their own communities.
There’s a welcome trend now to see God portrayed in many other forms, colours and styles. The Lord appears to every one of us in the way we can best recognize, appreciate and welcome that holy presence in our lives. The picture may even change over time, because God meets us wherever and however we are.
Revealing Lord, please show up in our lives the way we can see you best. Amen. — AMG