This morning I am continuing my reflection from John's Gospel. As I said before the fourteenth chapter is such a significant chapter and one worthy of our attention. Here are the verses I am reflecting on today - John 14:15-21, 23-24 NIV:
[15] “If you love me, keep my commands. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--- [17] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
[23] "Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. [24] Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."
My attention was drawn to the two similar statements in these verses having to do with the Holy Spirit, Jesus and the Father all being with and in me. Talk about wondrous mysteries - the Trinity exists within me! Clearly we cannot even begin to fathom what that actually means, and how that works, but if we are to believe the words of Jesus, then we must believe these statements, whether we understand them or not.
Somehow and for some reason, God has chosen to be with me and in me, despite my sinfulness, imperfect human character, and frail human nature. He has entered my being not as a possessor, but at my invitation and because of His desire. He exists in me because of His love for me! All this is way beyond my understanding, yet it must be true, for He continues to allow me free-will, allowing me to be myself, and does not subject my will to His, but He invites me to follow Him through my own wilful obedience.
Secondly, the first statement before any comment about obedience, is about love. First and foremost the invitation is to a loving relationship. God is not after obedient mindless and heartless people, but is after us for the sake of relationship! If we love Him, then we are invited to keep His commands. Love is supposed to be the foundation of all our interactions with Him. His primary command is to love Him and each other. If we love Him, we will be motivated by our love and affection towards obedience, towards loving Him and others more fully. If we love Him more fully, we experience His in-dwelling more fully, and we are more motivated to follow His teaching and commands! I see this as an upward spiral that we can chose to experience.
Thirdly, since we cannot begin to fathom these truths, it must be part of the Lord's responsibility to reveal these truths to us, to each of us experientially. Relationships are about experiences for our heart, mind and body. There must be real experiences to be a real relationship, otherwise it is all fanciful fantasy. Those who are convinced they have relationships with celebrities despite any evidence to support their claims are deemed more than a little crazy. This is not how God desires us to experience our relationship with Him.
As I was writing those last few sentences I was reminded of a great prayer for us that Paul recorded in his letter to the Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV:
[16] "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
If we look closely at Paul's writing, it closely parallels the statements of Jesus, as recorded by John. It all begins with faith and belief that His words are true. Upon that exclamation of faith (which is salvation) we are rooted and established in love. Love is that which becomes the foundation of our life with Him, and it is as we experience that love in its immensity that we become filled to the measure of all fullness in God! Love is both the foundation and conveyance of our lives. Love is that upon which we step forward, upon that which ride upward, and that through which we experience God.
I love the fact that Paul uses the Greek word ginosko to describe our knowing God's love in verse 19. This word describes understanding that goes far beyond head knowledge. It is the same word that is used to describe marital intimacy between a husband and wife. Clearly this is knowledge involves the whole of a person, mind, body and spirit.
I am going to stop here, for I could continue to expound upon these verses forever. Suffice it say that my reflection this morning is more than a bit overwhelming and beyond my grasp intellectually, yet still true. I am so glad that things can be true, despite my ignorance or lack of understanding. I am encouraged that God lives with me and desires me to experience His love. I am so encouraged that love is the foundation for all my interaction with God. Lord, help me to know Your love more fully!
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