The secular world mocks God as an old man sitting in the clouds far away, uninterested, ambivalent, stern and disapproving. Some of this maybe from Michelangelo’s famous painting in the Sistine chapel of God touching Man’s barely raised finger as He looks away. To many their concept of God is distant, demanding, arbitrary and at times unjust; a God who allows bad things to happen to good people and children. 

This concept is very different from the God of the Bible who sent His only Son as God in human form to communicate His nature and character to mankind. Yeshua, Messiah (Jesus’ Hebrew name) demonstrated that God is love and Spirit, full of mercy compassion and forgiving to all who believe in Him. This requirement of faith in Yeshua is critical because no other representation is true and reliable. The Hebrew patriarchs and prophets testified of God, the Creation itself witnesses God, but Yeshua explained God in great detail, without error or room for doubt. 

One of Yeshua’s closest disciples, “Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father?” ‘ “(John‬ ‭14:8-9‬) When a crowd asked Him to tell them plainly whether He was the Messiah, Yeshua explained He already had, adding, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)

So, was Yeshua passionate? Yes, emphatically, as He took children in his arms; miraculously fed a hungry crowd out of His compassion; healed the sick; preached good news to the poor; set free many from demonic oppression; had close friends with whom He especially loved, raising one of them from the grave; rejoiced at a wedding feast and opened the eyes of blind people. He wept with empathy as others mourned. He went to dinner with people and celebrated with them. He celebrated in a great public gathering as He rode a donkey into Jerusalem before the Holiday feast.

Yes, He was serious in His public teaching and among His opponents. Also, He endured much injustice and persecution and experienced the sadness and sorrow of being rejected by His own people. He was poor and traveled extensively on foot, speaking to crowds and healing multitudes. Also, He went away to be alone in prayer and was tempted by the enemy. Where is any poetry or prose that evokes more emotion than the words of Yeshua in the story of “the Prodigal Son” or “the Good Samaritan”?
He experienced the full range of human experience and emotion, but without sin. (Heb. 2:17-18) This was God in the flesh touching and being touched by crowds of needy people, meeting their needs and rejoicing with them. The final preeminent act of Yeshua was the “Passion of the Christ” when as a pure spotless lamb He gave His life through death on a cross for the sin of the world. The proof of all was His resurrection three days later. This is the greatest demonstration of love, an innocent man laying down his life for his guilty friends.(John 15:13) Lord, forgive our misunderstanding and failure to ascribe all glory to you and recognize the full measure of your love. Thank you for your love and help us to respond appropriately to you.