John 14:20-21 “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

The Upper Room Discourse (John 14-17) is incredibly rich, supplying a lifetime of meditation. (It’s called that even though 14:31 indicates they left the Upper Room at that point, and Jesus kept talking as they were walking to Gethsemane.) Verse 20 here expresses a physical impossibility that is a glorious spiritual reality. My father’s doctoral dissertation was on the various uses of “in Christ” (and similar expressions) throughout the NT, but he told me he didn’t really understand it until, as a single missionary in Japan with PhD in hand, he was touched by God in a sovereign way. That is to say, it wasn’t something he could really grasp by studying, God had to reveal it to his spirit. The key to being open to that revelation is found in the next verse, where Jesus made it clear that genuine love for Him always expresses itself in obedience. We tend to think of love in terms of emotion, but this is a very objective criterion. At the same time, this is not a grudging obedience, out of fear or obligation. If we really love Christ we will desire to obey Him, and our failures in that area will grieve us. Strictly human nature gets a kick out of breaking rules, but love doesn’t. If our own sins don’t grieve us, we need to examine ourselves to see if we are really in Christ!

I can’t begin to write all that is contained in these two verses, because I still haven’t appropriated it all myself! One of the joys of the Christian life is continual growth, as Jesus reveals Himself to us more and more, just as He said in verse 21. However much more of Him I might understand than someone else, that is never a true source of pride, because He is infinite, and there is always far more that I don’t grasp than I do. I am to keep pressing in for more of Him, in committed obedience, and I am to seek to bring others along with me on the same journey. As He had me write in the song, “5 O’clock in the Morning,” there’s always more!

Father, thank You that there is always more of You, more of Christ, more of Your Spirit. Thank You for my physical father’s example, just as he changed the lyrics to “I Want More of Jesus” to include the phrase, “So I’ll give Him more of me.” Help me indeed give You all of myself, receiving all You reveal to me, so that I may be transformed more and more into the likeness of Your Son, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!