Scripture
Our verse for today comes from John 14:9, ” Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ” Show us the Father ” ?’ “
Background
Familiarity breeds contempt, or so the saying goes. But if that’s the case, what breeds familiarity? In the parable of the father and his two sons, the one we call the prodigal has returned home from his irresponsible and immoral ventures in a distant land, where he wasted the inheritance he demanded of his father. Now home, the son is celebrated as one who rose from the dead, as his father kills the fatted calf in honor of his return. Meanwhile, having eventually made his way in from the fields, the other son realizes a party is going on, and learns that his derelict brother is the guest of honor. Furious, he refuses to join the festivities, and so his dad comes to plead with him. And then the son expresses that raw emotion that each of us has felt. He is deeply hurt that his dad has seemingly never noticed his faithfulness and obedience lo these many years. His bitterness overflows when he says he has never been given as much as a cookout for him and his friends. In his eyes, he had been with his father for so long, yet his dad never really knew him. Such expressions from a child, whether eight or thirty-eight, can cut deep in the heart of a parent. But in this family’s case, much like the situation with Jesus and Philip, the one who is feeling left out is actually blessed beyond measure. All that the father had was at the son’s disposal, and all of God was evident and expressed to Philip through Jesus.
Application
Time can certainly breed a type of familiarity that runs counter to where we want the relationship to go. Years of being a Christian can make us callous to Christlike traits, if our focus is no longer on seeking Jesus. If we are merely living out our time as a Christian and its familiar routines and practices, then we may wake up one day and wonder who is this God we’re supposed to know. While you’ve got the time, breed a familiarity with Jesus that leads to a closeness with the One who knows you best.
Charge
As we seek Him today, honestly address the condition of your relationship with your Savior and Lord.
Author – Rich Holt | BCWorldview.org
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