January 7, 2016
Jesus said to him, "Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip?" (John 14:9)
Philip was not being chastised by Jesus, though it appears as such. Jesus was teaching Philip that there was a still more intimate way of knowing Him. As a disciple, Philip had known personally what it feels like to walk along side of Jesus, to watch Him heal the sick, to experience the miracle of Him feeding the 5000 and the 4000, to listen to the voice of Jesus speaking words of life. But to be blessed by His blessings and to know His word is not the most intimate of relationships with Jesus. The most intimate relationship with Jesus is to abide in Him. Such intimacy is the result of identifying with His thoughts, His heart, and His spirit.
For the rest of my life, this is my calling: to abide in Christ so intimately that His thoughts, heart, and spirit are so alive and active in me that nothing of me can be seen; Jesus is the only impression left on those I come in contact with. The fruit that is born out of me when I abide in Him grows effortlessly, unlike the fruit I try to bear with great labor and intensity. The fruit looks like Jesus, not like me.
As Jesus and His Spirit continually work in me to bring me to such intimacy, their impression is left on the world they encounter through me. As They are given the freedom to press out of me (through my humility and surrender), they press into world that is like clay. As I come in contact with others, the indentation, the impression that is left will resemble Them, not me. The only thing that others should see in me is the impression of Them in me.
My life's impression on others is not intended to be impatience, shortness, spiritual superiority, irritation, or any of the like. If I am making any impression at all, it should look like strong, calm, sanity! And that is the picture of Jesus in one who is abiding intimately in Him.
Jesus said to him, "Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip?" (John 14:9)
Philip was not being chastised by Jesus, though it appears as such. Jesus was teaching Philip that there was a still more intimate way of knowing Him. As a disciple, Philip had known personally what it feels like to walk along side of Jesus, to watch Him heal the sick, to experience the miracle of Him feeding the 5000 and the 4000, to listen to the voice of Jesus speaking words of life. But to be blessed by His blessings and to know His word is not the most intimate of relationships with Jesus. The most intimate relationship with Jesus is to abide in Him. Such intimacy is the result of identifying with His thoughts, His heart, and His spirit.
For the rest of my life, this is my calling: to abide in Christ so intimately that His thoughts, heart, and spirit are so alive and active in me that nothing of me can be seen; Jesus is the only impression left on those I come in contact with. The fruit that is born out of me when I abide in Him grows effortlessly, unlike the fruit I try to bear with great labor and intensity. The fruit looks like Jesus, not like me.
As Jesus and His Spirit continually work in me to bring me to such intimacy, their impression is left on the world they encounter through me. As They are given the freedom to press out of me (through my humility and surrender), they press into world that is like clay. As I come in contact with others, the indentation, the impression that is left will resemble Them, not me. The only thing that others should see in me is the impression of Them in me.
My life's impression on others is not intended to be impatience, shortness, spiritual superiority, irritation, or any of the like. If I am making any impression at all, it should look like strong, calm, sanity! And that is the picture of Jesus in one who is abiding intimately in Him.
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