Friend or King?

When you picture Jesus or God the Father in your imagination, what are they like? Friend and Father or King and Lord?

For my husband, God has always been above all the King on the throne. But recently he told me that he saw God the Father in his mind during a quiet time. He wanted to bow his head in honor. But God asked him to look him in the eyes. He made it clear to him that he wanted to be near like a Father, to have a close relationship with him. God wanted to show him a different image of himself.

I had come to know Jesus primarily as a close friend and brother. Without knowing about my husband’s experience with God, I asked Jesus in my quiet time what aspect of him I don’t really know yet. He surprised me by showing himself as a mighty King on the throne. Fascinating, isn’t it?

God, the creator of the world or like a father Jesus as a faithful friend or mighty on the royal throne?

Is one right and the other wrong? No. I realized that we can get to know God, Jesus and also the Holy Spirit better and better in their many facets! Otherwise we run the risk of defining them in one role and placing them in a pigeonhole!

I would like to focus on Jesus in this article. Please keep in mind that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are triune and that Jesus also shows us God the Father through himself.

The Bible has many names and metaphors for Jesus: brother and friend, Son of God, the Lion and the Lamb, King of kings and Lord of lords, the High Priest, the Redeemer, Immanuel (God with us), the head of the church, the Prince of Peace, the Good Shepherd, Alpha and Omega, the living water, and many more…

Each of these names and metaphors shows different aspects of Jesus, all of which are worth taking a closer look at. We can always get to know other facets of Jesus and be amazed!

Jesus was the one who laid down his life for us – even for those who rejected him! This is the image of the lamb that was sacrificed. On the other hand, he rebuked the Pharisees and scribes because they imposed heavy burdens on people that they themselves did not bear; who did not live love but were supposed to be examples of it. This is the image of the lion. He also describes himself as a hen who wants to take her chicks under her wings. He portrays himself as a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep and seeks the one, because this is also so important to him.

But he is also the one foretold of in countless prophecies in the Old Testament. He is the one who sits at the right hand of God. He is the one who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. God has placed the world – everything – under his control.

God has put everything under the control of Christ. Ephesians 1:22

I believe that I come into a deeper relationship with him when I get to know more of his characteristics. When I see him not only as a wise friend and faithful brother, but also as a mighty King of kings who has everything under his control! In other words, my friend is an almighty friend!

If I see him as a hen, then I trust him to be a caring protector. The shepherd is concerned about the individual sheep, I trust that I am also important to him. The image of the rock shows his faithfulness and the stable foundation that he is for me. Each of these images of him shows me another aspect of his nature.

We can claim all these aspects through the Holy Spirit in prayer! And I am convinced that we can multiply our ideas and still think too small. He is much more glorious and greater than we could ever imagine! And he is still full of love and so close to you and me personally.

How do you see Jesus? Get to know him even better: Ask him what else he wants you to know about him!