The ideas in this book have formed in many places around the world.

Discussions in my literature and writing classes have nurtured them,

and they have been aired in conversations with friends and col

leagues for many years.

I now invite you to spend the next 365 days looking through thew~-

dows Jesus has opened in order to show us new aspects of His char aTer~"

and ministry. What is God like? Surely not that,t you say. But don t ~, too

sure. Be prepared for a "shock of recognition" as you move throug~this

gallery of pictures, old and new.

Scripture reveals the realities of human experience to us in symbols.

Suspicious and fearful of anything approaching idolatry, the Hebrews and

first Christians filled their writings with vivid verbal images. "God the irrrager"

has, therefore, presented Christ in a varied and colorful field of imagery.

Such a tapistry of the divine personality is an extremely rich one. For in-

stance, Christ is the Word as well as the Spirit and the Life. We see Him

"made flesh" and also glorified in heaven. He shows both loving-l dndness

and stern judgment. Christ is the Lamb on the cross and the King on the

throne. The Holy Spirit came as a dove and leaping flames of fire.

David the warrior touched upon a vital point in our relationship with

God when he exuberantly sang: "Ihe Lord [is] my rock, my fortress, my

stronghold and my deliverer, my shield" (Ps. 144:1, 2, RSV). The secret lies

in the pronoun my. Therefore, by the end of the year, I hope, ,we will each

be able to paint our own portrait of the Master, understanding the many

ways by which He can supply our most unique needs.

Special appreciation goes to Virchel Wood, M.D., my orthopedic sur*

geon friend who read the entire manuscript. He gave useful suggestions not

only on scientific matters but also on religious and social issues. And then

there is my longtime friend and writing critic, Olivine Nadeau-Bohner. Her

help included the final preparation of the manuscript for publication.