Thoughts on the Gospel of John (138) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
John 14:19–21

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (138)
In just a few hours the unbelieving world would not see Jesus any more. Between His resurrection and ascension the world didn’t see Him; after His ascension it couldn’t see Him.

But how is it then that the Lord could say to His disciples, “But you will see me”? This is made possible by the Holy Spirit. Of course, believers do not see their Lord bodily now – so it doesn’t mean physical seeing. But the Holy Spirit always directs believers’ attention to Christ glorified, so that they have Him vividly before their eyes. The world has no interest in Him, but believers “with unveiled face, beholding (as in a mirror) the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

In this sense we also understand the statement that the Lord wants to reveal Himself to every single believer. Whoever loves Him from the heart and is willing to submit to Him and His Word without reservation will repeatedly “see” Him anew and will always discover new beauties about Him. This is what makes the life of a Christian so rich and rewarding.

The believer lives because Christ lives – He Himself is his life (Colossians 3:4). This distinguishes the believer from people of this world. His thoughts and motives, his interests and desires, reveal something of Jesus Christ. And so it should be, because Christians live here on earth to bear witness to Him.

Today’s reading: 1 Samuel 8:1-22 · Psalms 90:10-17