And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him. (John 8:29 NAS95)
Jesus lived and walked this earth, specifically the land of Israel. He enjoyed the same space you and I do, but He never departed from the Kingdom of God. This conversation occurred in the temple and with religious leaders. Jesus spoke of His relationship to the Father and from whence He came. Even though Jesus used simple language, the worldview of these leaders kept them from seeing, from understanding Him. The religious leaders had no clue of Jesus’ origin or of a relationship with the Father that bespoke of intimacy and continual presence. Jesus, however, wanted to make His Father’s presence readily available to them, if they would open up, believe and see the Kingdom.
I find that my worldview can keep me from seeing and believing the presence of God that Jesus enjoyed. The Father never left Jesus. Jesus reported He always pleased the Father due to the rich experience of communion and the interior conversation they enjoyed. Jesus spoke of a world and reality that included the presence of God always being with Him. He lived and leaned into the presence of His Father, the fullness of reality, and referred to that reality as the Kingdom of God. For Jesus, God is near and He invites us into that same nearness He enjoyed, presence to His Father. He lived as an example for us to imitate. Let’s lean into the reality of God’s presence and believe what Jesus says of His Kingdom. God’s person and love remain present to us always, just as in Jesus’ day and because of Jesus’ day.
For Reflection:
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalms 139:7 NAS95)
- What happens when you slow down through your day to pay attention to God’s interaction with you?
- What sorts of things have been floating near to your full awareness over the past month? Could these be invitations to prayer from God or ideas He desires you to pursue?
