11/8/2022 Eyes of the SaviourI don't want you to get me wrong, but when we read the gospel accounts of Jesus's ministry it can sometimes seem a little bit '2D': we read what he did and said. Perhaps we might get told of a gesture or emotion but often we just read a series of interactions that can appear more like 'sound-bites' cherry-picked to support the narrative structure and theme. Of course they are far more than that but it can take a bit of imagination on our part to read more intentionally, past the flat text, and look above and below the lines to grasp the full picture in immersive 3D. It is surely worth the effort. In every situation we read there are main and supporting characters, each with their own needs, prejudices and agenda. Jesus obviously looks at all of these people before, during and after each interaction. A compelling drama includes shots of the characters displaying their anticipation and reaction to what is going on as part of the storytelling, and to communicate what could not easily be put into words or action. Some dramas have been (unfairly) parodied for their use of this technique. What did it feel like to interact with Jesus - to observe his expressions as he spoke and the anticipation and reaction to what he in turn heard and saw? What did it feel like to look into the eyes of God, our Saviour? We can ask his Spirit to help us picture the scene as we read of people's encounters with Jesus, and as we interact with him through prayer, we can ask to 'see' the eyes of our Saviour as he enjoys being in our present moment: encouraging our faith, empathising with our suffering and challenging us to keep growing in him. Comments are closed.
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