Week 5: “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”

In the stillness, your voice calls out,

“Who do you say that I am?”— a gentle, loving invitation.

In sacred moments, You weave through my life,

A light breaking through the fog, igniting my heart.

Each struggle and triumph, a tender embrace,

In whispers of pain, I sense your grace.

You guide me to carry my cross, to ascend,

In losing my life, I discover you, Jesus, my friend.

You reveal my worth deep within my soul,

In your presence, I find I am whole.

And here I linger, where truth intertwines,

You are Jesus, Son of God, my companion, forever divine.

-J Heystek

Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

John 18:33-37 (NLT)

We often have false images of God, and these images shape our relationship with Him. These false ideas are created from various places, our upbringing, our culture or personal experiences, and our suffering. Some people see the image of God as absent, uninvolved, or a terrifying judge. These misperceptions become an obstacle to our spiritual growth and formation because they do not align with the true nature of God revealed in Jesus.

During Lent, we are invited to evaluate and replace these false images with more accurate and biblical versions of who God is. And Jesus is the perfect image of God. He himself said, If you see me, you see the Father. This week’s invitation is to look deeply into the character of God and – through Jesus – see the true God. An involved, loving, and caring Father, one who comes to us to be what we cannot be and do what we cannot do.

Reflection: Are there false pictures or narratives of God that you carry with you? How do they affect your relationship with Him? How do you respond to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”

Prayer: Lord, help me to be deeply aware of the true image of God.