one of us, still

Earlier this week I sat in my christology class listening to a discussion among my classmates about the incarnation of Christ. We were a room full of seminarians: future pastors and theologians...but it was so difficult for us to wrap our minds around both the divinity and humanity of our Savior.

It's more radical than we like to think.

I've always had a picture in my head of Jesus taking on human flesh, living on earth, dying, rising, going to heaven, and then...

Well, I don't picture him human anymore after that.

But we talked in class about how Jesus took on humanity, but he did not cast it off. Even now his scars remain...and they always will.

The fact that Jesus continues to bear our nature says a lot about our humanity. If he took on flesh, did his thing on earth, then cast our nature off, it would seem that humanity is a thing to be despised. And, in view of God's holiness and power, who could blame him if that's what he did?

But here is eternal and almighty God, taking on human skin and mind, human heart and soul...and keeping it. What must he think of us to remain one of us? Who are we? What is he making us become?

Jesus Christ was one of us, and one of us he is still.

And he is with us.