As long as we know Jesus, we know the way to a place we've never been and we know the Ruler of place.
How can we arrive at a place we have never been? How can we know what we are looking for if we do not know what it is? (A big question in Plato's "Meno")
What is God trying to show us? As long as you trust in Me as evidenced by doing what I command you, you are walking in the way of true life.
Why do the Apostles want to see the Father so much? Bc they believe that their confidence and glory is in their seeing, but they misunderstand the Beatific Vision. Seeing God with our natural eyes do not bless us unless we are changed. How are we then changed? We are changed by listening to His authenticated authority - Jesus - and doing what He says. Then the Beatific Vision is to our profit.
We do need to see the Father. It is the vision that we are longing to see. We do need to see the Father. This is the sight we are dying to recover, but we must become seers first. Jesus is the Great Optometrist.
How can we know what we are looking for if we do not know what it is?--I'm finding so much joy these days in this exact kind of looking. It's looking with your eyes closed and heart open. (I like your thoughts on seeing, too!)
I completely relate with Thomas asking for a path to follow, instead of a Person. A path is fixed, with a clearly marked trailhead and destination; a Person, however, is much more unpredictable. Following a Person requires constant attention and close proximity of the follower. You have to abide by the one who’s leading you, and be willing to trust and follow when they take a turn that you can’t make sense of. You have to match the Person’s gait and pace. You probably won’t know you’ve arrived at your destination until you’ve already crossed the finish line. ALL of this requires a quiet submission and a steady faith, two qualities that are particularly slippery when I’m feeling scared and out of control; I usually grasp for short-term relief instead (“just show me the Father!” Just make this waiting end!) Jesus reminds me that His way of being, His truth-infused reality, His example of the Good Life, is the solid ground I’m actually yearning for.
Another great prompting of meditation this morning.
Jesus declaration came after the question of Thomas, the doubting one. "We do not know where you are going?" I can relate to this question. Lord, give me the timeline, the play script, the formula, I will follow the tasks, the process. I can do it!
Then Jesus gives an answer that is flawlessly fair. It is an answer given in love. There are no whoops to jump through; no mountains to climb, no formula. It reinforces all Jesus has been living and showing.... it is about faith in our Father. A Father who loves us more than we know. A Father who knows we will fail and He provided a way to cover our failures. A Father who desires relationship with us. No works are required, just acceptance and cultivating the relationship.
When Philip goes on to say, "Show us the Father and that will be enough for us," Jesus begins to show the relationship between him and his Father, reflecting one that we too can have. I do not sense that Jesus if frustrated as he knows there hearts and their experience and knowledge. Jesus is using the practical of how we all reflect our parents in mannerisms, characteristics, and hearts matters and that he is a reflection of his Father.
Then Jesus brings it back to faith by believing in what you have seen, the miracles, and trust that I reflect my Father. This deepens my relationship with the trinity. God, the Father does sit on the thrown. Because of the sacrifice of His son, we now can have a relationship with our Father, Creator. Fresh awakenings!
Immediately I recognized there being three words, which is significant in scripture. I recognized the undertone of relationship and harmony. I saw the beauty of the Triune God. I saw Jesus introducing Himself to me, not His title but Himself. More than a path, knowledge, or this idea of living forever, Jesus described all that would follow as He lived out His identity. The way was made by his death and resurrection, the truth was Jesus being the full, living reality of God revealed, and life was found in union with Him. Oh so much to dwell in and on.
Jesus' words of "I am the way" made me think about the gospel and Isaiah 52:7 - '"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”'
Which were tied to those who were bringing the good news of the Messiah, but as Jesus is the WAY, this means the gospel isn't just about Him, it IS HIM. Jesus is LORD, is in the Father, is... my head spins as I try to make sense of everything He says.
I'm still processing this and the ideas of the Trinity... and likely will the rest of my life.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This, along with the following verse, gives me peace. Deep peace. While words are escaping me, I FEEL so comforted by these words.
As so many do, I too struggle to explain the concept of the Trinity. But I don’t feel a strong need to explain or even understand it, so much as I long to rest/abide/trust in it. The Holy Spirit is indeed a comforter and I find myself most grateful that Jesus/the Father didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves.
Thanks for this saint.
Here are my notes in meditating on the prompt.
As long as we know Jesus, we know the way to a place we've never been and we know the Ruler of place.
How can we arrive at a place we have never been? How can we know what we are looking for if we do not know what it is? (A big question in Plato's "Meno")
What is God trying to show us? As long as you trust in Me as evidenced by doing what I command you, you are walking in the way of true life.
Why do the Apostles want to see the Father so much? Bc they believe that their confidence and glory is in their seeing, but they misunderstand the Beatific Vision. Seeing God with our natural eyes do not bless us unless we are changed. How are we then changed? We are changed by listening to His authenticated authority - Jesus - and doing what He says. Then the Beatific Vision is to our profit.
We do need to see the Father. It is the vision that we are longing to see. We do need to see the Father. This is the sight we are dying to recover, but we must become seers first. Jesus is the Great Optometrist.
How can we know what we are looking for if we do not know what it is?--I'm finding so much joy these days in this exact kind of looking. It's looking with your eyes closed and heart open. (I like your thoughts on seeing, too!)
I completely relate with Thomas asking for a path to follow, instead of a Person. A path is fixed, with a clearly marked trailhead and destination; a Person, however, is much more unpredictable. Following a Person requires constant attention and close proximity of the follower. You have to abide by the one who’s leading you, and be willing to trust and follow when they take a turn that you can’t make sense of. You have to match the Person’s gait and pace. You probably won’t know you’ve arrived at your destination until you’ve already crossed the finish line. ALL of this requires a quiet submission and a steady faith, two qualities that are particularly slippery when I’m feeling scared and out of control; I usually grasp for short-term relief instead (“just show me the Father!” Just make this waiting end!) Jesus reminds me that His way of being, His truth-infused reality, His example of the Good Life, is the solid ground I’m actually yearning for.
"You probably won't know you've arrived at your destination until you've already crossed the finish line." LOVE THIS.
Another great prompting of meditation this morning.
Jesus declaration came after the question of Thomas, the doubting one. "We do not know where you are going?" I can relate to this question. Lord, give me the timeline, the play script, the formula, I will follow the tasks, the process. I can do it!
Then Jesus gives an answer that is flawlessly fair. It is an answer given in love. There are no whoops to jump through; no mountains to climb, no formula. It reinforces all Jesus has been living and showing.... it is about faith in our Father. A Father who loves us more than we know. A Father who knows we will fail and He provided a way to cover our failures. A Father who desires relationship with us. No works are required, just acceptance and cultivating the relationship.
When Philip goes on to say, "Show us the Father and that will be enough for us," Jesus begins to show the relationship between him and his Father, reflecting one that we too can have. I do not sense that Jesus if frustrated as he knows there hearts and their experience and knowledge. Jesus is using the practical of how we all reflect our parents in mannerisms, characteristics, and hearts matters and that he is a reflection of his Father.
Then Jesus brings it back to faith by believing in what you have seen, the miracles, and trust that I reflect my Father. This deepens my relationship with the trinity. God, the Father does sit on the thrown. Because of the sacrifice of His son, we now can have a relationship with our Father, Creator. Fresh awakenings!
Immediately I recognized there being three words, which is significant in scripture. I recognized the undertone of relationship and harmony. I saw the beauty of the Triune God. I saw Jesus introducing Himself to me, not His title but Himself. More than a path, knowledge, or this idea of living forever, Jesus described all that would follow as He lived out His identity. The way was made by his death and resurrection, the truth was Jesus being the full, living reality of God revealed, and life was found in union with Him. Oh so much to dwell in and on.
Jesus' words of "I am the way" made me think about the gospel and Isaiah 52:7 - '"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”'
Which were tied to those who were bringing the good news of the Messiah, but as Jesus is the WAY, this means the gospel isn't just about Him, it IS HIM. Jesus is LORD, is in the Father, is... my head spins as I try to make sense of everything He says.
I'm still processing this and the ideas of the Trinity... and likely will the rest of my life.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This, along with the following verse, gives me peace. Deep peace. While words are escaping me, I FEEL so comforted by these words.
As so many do, I too struggle to explain the concept of the Trinity. But I don’t feel a strong need to explain or even understand it, so much as I long to rest/abide/trust in it. The Holy Spirit is indeed a comforter and I find myself most grateful that Jesus/the Father didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves.
“I am the way”-the road, the path, the map that leads the way
“The truth”- we can trust that all He says is true, because he is the truth. The foundation of all that is true
“The life” - the living water that provides life
I am now singing The Acapella song Only Truth in my head now.