Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Shameful Bargaining
Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.' John 14:8
Philip believed that if Jesus revealed God the Father that would 'be enough.' Enough for what? I don't fully understand what Philip means here, maybe his claim is that if Jesus unveils the mystery of the Father then that will be enough to expel all their doubts? I don't know, but what i do know is that this verse unsettles me because in Philip's response i hear my own voice: 'Jesus if only you would do this it would be enough.'Enough for me to do genuinely as you command and deny myself, enough that i would direct my worship solely to you, enough that everything i do will be motivated by my love for you.
What is this bargaining with Christ? Who am i to demand more from Christ on top of what He has already freely given?
When i bargain like this i stand amongst the crowd of Pharisees who demanded Jesus to perform a miraculous sign. It is not miracles that we are called to put our trust in. Miracles are merely signs of God's supernatural power over natural things. Miracles do not satisfy a man's soul, unless he can see beyond the sign to the all-powerful signifier and messiah. Like the 10 men healed of leprosy, they all acknowledged the miracle yet only one acknowledged the Lord,the Messiah.
Therefore Jesus' response to Philip is 'Don't you know me?' Philip you have been with my all this time, do you not know that when you see me, you see also the one who sent me? Philip do you not see that the Father dwells in me and i too am in the Father?
You have seen the Father through me, now is that enough?
worship should be unconditional - like the air you breath, everything, all the time, constantly reflecting the glory of God.
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