Devotional 070109

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning. Thank God for the ‘present’ of today. Yesterday was history. Tomorrow is a myth. Only today is a ‘present or gift’ from our Creator God. That’s why we should treasure and fully enjoy today that our God has made for us. As long as we have breath on earth, let us use this gift to praise the Lord and live for His glory. Amen?

"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? " (John 14:9) Our Lord Jesus did not say these words as a rebuke against Philip, or express His surprise by his question. Jesus is leading Philip on. The last One with whom we get intimate or draw close should be Jesus. Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival on earth (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come when Jesus declared, " I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit. The whole discipline of life on earth is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him as an intimate friend?

Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go away because I am going there to prepare a place for you." - in that relationship, so that He might lead them on. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him. Fruit bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union with Jesus Christ: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:1-4).

When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic. The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss or void of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

That’s why it is to our advantage when we draw close to our Lord in our daily walks of life. He is always there to embrace us when we commit ourselves to enjoy ‘today’ with Him.

Love you in Christ,
Lawrence