How can we see the Father?
The One who descended came to reveal the Most High.There is a poignant sadness to this conversation between Philip and Jesus. They've been together for three years and Philip still hasn't recognised that he's been experiencing the loving nature of the Father through the presence of the Son.
Yes, the Father is Mighty and Majestic. Yes, the Father is Holy and Awesome. And yes, the Father is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. But this power and majesty emanate from a central core. And what is that core?
A peep at an "Old Testament Philip", aka Moses, gives us a clue...
Moses asked to see God's glory, but God made it clear that he would be utterly overloaded by glory, so instead, Moses got to see God's Goodness - and got to hear about the core of God's magnificent being: "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness..." (Ex.34:6)
Philip was thinking glory, but Jesus had revealed God's core:
- Touching Lepers
- Cuddling children
- Freeing the possessed
- Liberating people from shame and pain
- Living day to day among the poor
- Sharing in our humanity and the "normality" of life
- Living His life for us
In a nutshell Jesus was saying: The Father's core and essence is what you have seen in me... That core is giving, caring, sharing, courageous, attentive, self-sacrificing LOVE."
May we look at Jesus and see more than Philip saw...
| Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? (John14:8-9) |
