John 10:15

The Father and Son are of one accord.

"As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the Sheep". One has to read the rest of John 10 to get a background understanding of what Jesus is saying to the Pharisees. In this chapter Christ is speaking about the Good Shepherd and Himself as that very Shepherd. But I digress. On to the topic at hand.

Jesus speaks about "knowing" the Father, and this type of knowing seems to have the same meaning or connotation as when Adam "knew" Eve. Not in the sexual sense but in the aspect of being "one". So Jesus knowing the Father and vice versa, means They were one, thus Jesus "laying down [His] life for the sheep"  is an action, one action agreed upon by two individuals. It reminds me later on when Jesus said, "...Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are" (John 17:11). Oneness means completeness which means the ability to succeed, to finish. Being one with the Father, Jesus was only able to lay down His life. By being one with Jesus, who is in the Father, can I lay down my own life, die to self, and live in Christ!

This oneness was the only way Christ could lay down His life; He lay down His life because of His love for the Father, and the Father allowed Him to lay down His life because of His love for the Son. Their love was/is perfect. It was harmonious. It flowed smoothly between Them both. The love between Them resulted in the creation of man. Man and his creation was a part of that love, part of that harmony, hence the utmost reason why Jesus created us and even after sin pursued us and redeemed us. He was anchored to the Father's love. Oneness is one of the foundations of love. Achieving oneness means otherness must come into affect!

My thoughts from this morning as I ponder Christ's presence in my life...

Each and every task Christ attended to before His ministry, whether it was "insignificant" or of the utmost importance, was completed with perfection. Each task faithfully attended to was one step in preparation towards the moments He would daily face in His ministry and inevitably, the Cross. He knew the terrible utter hold that sin had upon the soul of man and knew in equal context the reinforcements needed to sustain Him in His time of need. Each and every task was surrendered to the Father. Christ was always emptied of self for it was the only way each and every task could be accomplished. All surrender of self was done out of unfanthomable love for His creation. The daily surrender, nay, the minutely surrender of self into the Father's hands was an effect of the love that the Father and Son shared for each and every soul that was, is, and will be.

If I am to love my future spouse through Christ, how can I even contemplate a matter when I myself have not given Him the entirety of me, all heart, mind and soul? I need to spend more time in His Word and flesh out Christ into my everyday existent. I need to furrow the soul of my heart with this Sword so that He may sow within a Garden.

I am beginning to notice how and what people believe of my heavenly Father. I am seeing a trend of "what you know" rather than "who you know." What is known is flaunted, is paradaded about, hung out like business signs, neon lighted, brushed in bold letters on various signage. But Who is known resonates as a deep gushing cold fountain with in the depths of the soul that one drinks of and says "ah" and is refreshed.  We allow the Living Waters to flow out within, so that no words are said, but movement is seen. In John, when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, He spoke to her of living water, water that moved. That Living Water, Him, when within us, causes us to move, and to move in currents dictated by Him. Hence, I don't need to say anything about who I Know. In silence, I will allow Him to move me.

I praise my Father for contineously and unendingly peeling back the layers that cover these eyes. Each day, I learn new truths that bring me closer into His presence, and dearer becomes His embrace. He is my parent, former of my being, and I am eternally thankful for this heritage.

The closer I come into His presence the greater my understanding of His love for me, the greater His grace becomes to me, the greater His faithfulness is shown to me. Yet, the closer I come to Him the more aware I am of my sinful state, of the fight within, the moments when it raises it's grotesque head and I am left aware of my filthiness. And in this state while in His presence, I see the cutting brilliance of Christ's blood around me, swathing a path through my iniquity. So, with my uttermost being, I Will Praise Him!

I realized that I am the only single individual at work. As I began to briefly ponder on my singleness, and that longing started to emerge, the Spirit immediately spoke the Father's words to me.

 

He said, "I am taking out of you that base desire to be with your other, that self-centered desire that cries out, "me! me! me!" that desire that only looks for self-gratification that instantly satisifies but never ratifies that inner-hunger. You don't truly want him, you want to plug-up that inner hole in your heart that allows drafts to come through and chill you to the bone.

 

By coming to Me, I am replacing that self-gratification with otherness, the ability to deny self, to pick up that cross and follow Me! I am replacing it with the desire to praise Me. When you allow Me in, I slowly disolve this carnal-self through loving you, caring for you, walking, talking, and sharing with you. I become your world, your everything. Than I will give him to you, because you will not look to each other, you will look to Me. Together, you will praise Me!