The sweat of his exertion dripped from the tall preacher’s brow. His thunderous voice echoed richly through the packed meeting hall, addressing hungry, attentive hearts. His energetic gestures punctuated every burning word as he heralded the wondrous message: “Jesus came to save us from our sins!”
Glory be! Jesus did! What breathtaking news! All of our life, all of our existence, all that we are, is staked on this magnificent truth!!
But you know something? There is more.
The More
Sometimes, we come short of understanding all the reasons that Jesus came. Sometimes, in giving our sole attention to Jesus’ earthly mission to die for us, we miss one of the other central, essential reasons He took on human flesh. He came and walked in our pain for another, urgently critical objective.
He came to show us what intimate relationship with Daddy looks like. This up-close demonstration of Their connection was not merely for us to gaze with admiration. He provided it so we could enter into this exquisite richness too. This is what He meant by these final words, the night He was to culminate His earthly assignment:
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:9, ESV).
This instruction segued into His closing prayer to Daddy, sealing those last hours together with His beloved friends:
“I in them, and You in Me; that… the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:23, NKJV).
Both of these verses communicate to us that the infinite love that openly flows between Daddy and Jesus, is the very same love that Daddy and Jesus have for you and me. And because They love us with this same kind of intensity and fire of passion, They also yearn to bring us into the same kind of inseparable, abiding, exquisite Spirit-to-spirit fellowship that They ceaselessly enjoy. Jesus made it clear that night that He is drawing us all into the very same oneness that They exult in:
“At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20, NKJV).
Those were His parting words. He made this announcement after three years of showing them how. Every single day of Jesus’ earthly sojourn, He exhibited to them (and to us) what it’s like to live life in Daddy’s embrace. Every day, those around Him watched Him lean ceaselessly into His Father with unspeakable closeness. They saw how He did not make one move, nor speak one word, except what He experienced Daddy doing and saying through Him.
The disciples saw how this intimate knowledge flowed out of His unbreakable, indescribably profound communion with His Abba. When Jesus prayed out loud for them to listen, they could hear how intimately familiar Jesus was with the Father’s heart. The conspicuousness of Their connection was achingly lovely.
(To be continued tomorrow!)
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Have you spent time meditating on the closeness between Daddy and Jesus, as you read the book of John? I would love to hear your thoughts about Their relationship!
Feeding On Jesus 
For many this understanding is so difficult to understand and accept! Sadly, we have not had “fathers” in this world or had fathers that had no interest in us as children. Only God can get us past that and into the TRUTH of our FATHER IN HEAVEN. I have struggled with this issue in my life and did all I could to show a father’s love for my children. Today, I am sad to say that they have turned away from GOD and from me. I must not have been successful in my efforts. I continue praying each day that their hearts will turn back to Jesus. len w
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Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too difficult for Him to redeem, Len. I pray that Daddy God continue His healing work in your heart. May He hold you close in His arms today!!
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Thank you and bless you Jennifer. len
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