We have reached the end of this chapter in
our lives as well as the end of John chapter seventeen. Soon we will begin with
an exciting new interactive process. I believe the Lord wants everybody reading
this blog to be involved in developing a dimension in the body of Christ that
would make an amazing difference to the church and the world we are travelling
through. That, however, is for next time. Here is our message. Enjoy!
“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given
me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because
you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even
though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have
sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make
it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in
them,” (John 17:24-26).
Jesus wanted His disciples, who were not sufficiently
heavenly minded at that stage in their lives, to be where He would be so they
could see who He really was. It was as if, after all that they went through
together, He couldn’t contain the anticipation of his friends’ awe when they
see Him and Father God in their full glory. He wanted to show heaven off to
them. Can you also sense the excitement and compassion with which Jesus prayed
these words? It is as if His only wish is for people to know Father God the way
Jesus knows Him. From these words we clearly get an impression of how special
Father God is. It is like a child who brings his best friend home and
introduces him to his hero, the one that is everything to him – his dad. We can
also sense that Jesus is proud to know His Father and really wishes for His body to get to know Him the way Jesus knows
Him, which is why He undertook to continually reveal His Father to His
followers. The ultimate purpose of life for believers is to worship Father God
in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23). This verse states that Father
God is seeking such people to worship Him, which is why Jesus attempts to get
His body to do it.
I do not think we have any idea what the Father is
like. The awe with which Jesus expressed His prayer in John 17 is very obvious
and one can hear the passion in His words. If we could put Jesus’ words in the second
part of this passage in other words they may sound something like this: ‘Father,
the world does not know you, but I know you! If only the world could know you...
wow, they really do not know what they miss. If they only could know and
experience your amazing love and care the way I do, they will certainly be so
much different. They will also start loving the way you do. Therefore I will do
my best to make them understand what you are like, by putting them in
situations where they could have a glimpse of understanding what you are like.’
Every
now and then I have one of these glimpses of the Father’s care and love. I also
get convicted of the things that I should get rid of, since they stand between
me and understanding the Father’s amazing love. If we are constantly focused on
ourselves and our concerns and interests, how will we ever get to see what
Father God is like? He is love! “He is patient and kind; He does not envy or boast; He is not arrogant
or rude. He does not insist on His own way; He is not irritable or
resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things. He never ends,” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). He is joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
(Galatians 5:22, 23).
These
are all theoretical statements, but one really begins to understand His love when
you experience in your spirit Father God looking patiently on you with a gentle
smile, shaking His head saying: ‘Henry, it is okay, just try again, next time
you will succeed, but to help you get there, I will have to add these
circumstances as discipline so you will not easily forget the consequences of
your behaviour.’ Jesus seriously dreams of the day that we forget about
ourselves to the point that we see Father God in spirit and truth all the time.
Our enemy, however, goes to every effort to get us to constantly focus on
ourselves so we would not see Father God. The choice of who will be pleased is
in our hands, in our prayers and in the utilisation of our time.
Lord,
I really desire to rid myself of everything that prevents me from seeing who
you are.
Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth,
via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will
accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.
Please pass this on if you
think others may benefit by it.
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