“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (John 12:49–50 NAS95)
Often I think of Jesus just going about life and ministry doing what comes His way. When I read these verses, I recognize He had an agenda that never escaped His attention. I get distracted easily. Jesus never lost His focus. He remained enthralled with His Father’s heart and love. He received a commandment to speak — eternal life. Jesus knew, lived, and manifested the eternal kind of life: communion and union with His Father. He swam in the ocean of God’s deep embrace and acceptance. From what I can tell, even as crucifixion approaches for Jesus, He remains confident in His Father Who never ceases to love and seek that which is best for those He loves. Jesus lived saturated and permeated with His Father’s kind of love and life. He continued so impressed with God, He couldn’t help but impress others with God. He died to show that love because of being overwhelmingly captured by its embrace. Resurrection proves the power of the love He knew from the Father.
Jesus took our penalty upon Himself because He knew God. “I know that His commandment is eternal life.” This is God’s wish, as Jesus shares with us. Jesus invites us into the communion He enjoys with His Father (Jn 17:20-26). He invites us to live as the beloved of God. Jesus remained deeply aware of and influenced by His Father’s embrace. He maintained His relationship with rapt attention and inseverable conversation with God. “I speak just as the Father has told Me.” “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” He wants us to do the same, to live from the place of enjoying His presence and love. Jesus, never let me get distracted from dwelling in Your love and sharing it with others.
For Reflection:
“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalms 23:6 NAS95)
- How do you handle distractions when it comes to spending time with God?
- What do think about your possibility of living fully out of the love God has for you? What distracts you from receiving His embrace?
