In my pursuit of the Lord, and trying to do His will, one of the things I struggle to do is really see what the Lord is doing. Today, as I continued my reading of John’s Gospel, I read the following verse - John 5:19 NIV:
[19] “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
This verse perfectly captures the great challenge, and the path forward. Seeing what the Lord is doing, so that we can join ourselves to that effort. Jesus, in His complete humanity, had no ability to do anything miraculous Himself, in His own power, (if I read that verse correctly) and was only doing what He saw the Father doing, through the power of the Holy Spirit. That is such an important distinction that Jesus makes, for it means that we can potentially do similar things. He was proclaiming the limitations of our humanity, but showing the path forward. He described what is possible in John 14:10-12 NIV:
[10] “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
I have always been so intrigued by verse 12! The possibility that we ‘will do the works He has been doing’ is astounding to me, yet according to Jesus and the record of the early church, this should be our expectation and experience. If we really sit with these two sets of verses, reflecting on what they mean for us, as followers of Jesus, I think we will find our perspective change. A couple of good questions come to mind:
In our living out our faith, are we trying to do everything on a list, or are we trying to follow a person?
Do we really believe Jesus was fully human AND fully God? (This one is hard as it surely a mystery)
Do we believe Jesus’ words, that we can “do the works (he) I have been doing”?
Do we look to Jesus to see what He is doing?? Do we look to the Father to see what He is doing?
Do we live our lives in a state of regular connection with the Lord?
Do we spend time in His Word and in prayer so that we can learn what He is like, what He does, has done and is likely to do again?
Do we spend any time in the day asking Him to show us what He is doing?
As I have reflected on these verses previously, I have been aware that sometimes the Lord is not interested in working miracles, but more interested in me! I don’t mean that in a prideful way, but rather as a student or disciple who is being taught and trained. Jesus often stepped away from the active ministry to teach and train His disciples (See Matt 13:36). He also regularly spent time in prayer (See Luke 6:12), and we would be well advised to do the same.
I like to think that Jesus’ first 30 years of life were spent learning to hear and see the Father, as a human. In fact, we find an interesting set of verses in the Letter to the Hebrews 5:7-9 NIV:
[7] “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. [8] Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered [9] and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.”
I would think that some of the meaning of verse 7 relates to Jesus’ passion and prayers in the garden, prior to His crucification, but not all. I am sure His life was one of constant prayer and reflection, looking to the Father. His pattern of life was passed to His followers, for we find this description of the early church - Acts 1:14 NIV: “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
I am encouraged this morning to press into knowing You more, knowing Your word, understanding Your character, and learning to hear and see what You are doing! I do want to see what You are doing, so that I can join myself to the effort! I believe that You will show me what You are doing, for You have invited us all into Your promise. We are all invited to believe in You and do the works You have been doing!
Oh Lord, help us! Oh Lord, open our eyes and ears! Oh Lord, help us to press into knowing You!
Oh Lord, we want to glorify Your name!
Amen and Amen!