Larger than Life

If you know anything about comic book people, you know that we don't like change very much.  Anytime there are changes to the heroes we love, we freak out.  There is an uproar about the new Fantastic Four movie released this summer.  Photos are starting to be released of the actors in their superhero suits (you can view the pictures here: http://geektyrant.com/news/four-more-photos-from-fantastic-four-to-fuel-fan-outrage). The problem is that the costumes are not the classic costumes of these heroes.  In fact, no one has even seen a 4 anywhere on these costumes.  So, as you can imagine, comic fans are not too impressed with these changes.  And this is not the only time changes like this have occurred. 
Superman has been the hero for me since I was little.  But, today, was heartbreaking for me.  DC Comics released an image of Superman's new suit and you can see that here: 
I understand what they are trying to do: they are trying to make Superman so we can relate to him easier.  Putting him jeans and a t-shirt makes him look like an average Joe who happens to have powers.  But, I don't want that from my heroes.  I want my heroes to be larger than life.

So, this got me thinking today.  I got to thinking, "In my walk with Christ, is Jesus larger than life?"  Is Jesus larger than life in your walk?  Is Jesus larger than life in our churches?

The younger generations are leaving the church or not even thinking about church and one of the reasons is that we have watered down Jesus.  Our God is no longer the transcendent God who created the universe nor the one that the Psalms speak of.  God is our homeboy and our buddy.  God is our sugar daddy that we can ask anything of to satisfy our spoiled cravings and He will give it to us because He wants us to be happy. 

We wear the t-shirts that say Jesus is our Superhero then go to church on Sunday, sing funeral dirges, barely keep our eyes open, and anxiously look at our watches to see how much longer the service is. Is it any wonder people don't want to go to church?

I have worn the shirts, barely kept my eyes open, and anxiously wondered when we will sing the last verse of Just As I Am.  I still struggle with this attitude at times as well.  So, why is God so boring?

I think the reason God appears so boring is because we have portrayed him that way through our actions and attitudes.  We dumb down God in order for him to be relevant.  We water Him down so that people can relate to him more.  But, I don't want to relate to God.  I want to be saved by God.

We don't need to dumb down God and people don't want us to either.  People want someone that is larger than life.  A god who is less than larger than life is incapable of saving us.  When we water down God, we make him into our image.  And, when we make him into our image, he is powerless to save us because we are more powerful than he is.  People are looking for a god who is real and tangible, but at the same time impossible to grasp or fully comprehend.  That is kind of God that is mighty to save. 

We need to stop putting God in our boxes and surrendering to His majesty.  When we surrender to that God, then the thought that He would draw near to us through the person of Jesus Christ becomes almost overwhelming.  We can say along with David, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him" (Psalm 8:3-4)? 

I don't want my Superman wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I certainly don't want my God to be anything less than the all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting, gracious and merciful God of the Scriptures; we don't need anything less than that.