John 14:8-14
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
In today’s passage Jesus continues to address his closest followers just hours before his arrest and subsequent execution. If you haven’t already, read John 13:31-14:7 before you begin today’s meditation. Then read John 14:8-14 imagining yourself in the room with Jesus.
This is not the first time Jesus reveals his connection with God the Father. He has spoken similar words on several occasions to his followers and to the religious authorities. It is tempting to scoff at Philip’s seemingly dense request to see the Father, but as we have seen many times throughout John’s Gospel, one of the central questions for any follower of Jesus is, “Who do you say that he is?”
So, who do you say that he is? Stop to think this over for a moment and then turn your thoughts into a prayer to Jesus.
When we have seen Jesus, we have seen God the Father. Jesus is the only lens through which we can clearly see God. If we read Scripture or think about God without the lens of Jesus, we will come away with a distorted understanding.
How have you sought to view God or read the Bible through the lens of Jesus? How, if at all, has this changed your view of God or Scripture? Talk to Jesus about this for a moment.
Read John 14:8-14 again this time focusing on the promise Jesus makes to his followers in verses 12-14.
Jesus’ promise to grant any request made in his name is not an invitation to rub a magic lamp and have all our desires met or problems solved. When we act and ask “in the name of Jesus” we act and ask according to his desires and plans as his emissaries here on earth.
Stop to let this sink in for a moment: Jesus invites you to act and ask on his behalf - to live on his mission of restoration.
What do you think, or how do you feel about this? Share your thoughts and emotions with Jesus.
To live on the mission of Jesus is to bring the kingdom of God wherever we go. We are called to set things right, the way God intended them to be, in the name of Jesus. We don’t do this in our own power or according to our own plans. Those who follow Jesus do as Jesus did. Just as he watched and listened to God the Father, we watch and listen for him, and we work with him for the good of the world. This is real purpose.
How are you growing in your relationship with Jesus?
Are you learning to sense when he is speaking to you and calling you to ask and act on his behalf?
For the last moments of this meditation, tell Jesus about your desire or lack of desire to work with him for the good of the world. Then get quiet and simply listen.
If you sense that Jesus is inviting you to an action of some kind, take a first step in that direction today.
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