Years ago I had one
of those moments when I desperately wanted a clear word from the Lord. Nothing
seemed to be working. Not prayer or conversations with colleagues or time in
silent meditation. I don’t recommend what I did next because I think it treats
the scripture like a Christian version of the Magic 8 ball®, but desperate times called for
desperate measures and so I opened my Bible at random and landed on John 14:9.
“Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still don’t know me?”
That’s the other reason not to do it. God might use your name and when God has
to use your name you know you haven’t been paying attention. Philip asks the
question that is on everyone’s mind and though Jesus' answer sounds like a
rebuke Jesus honors the question and shows Philip what he asks to see. It is in
the person of Jesus that the mystery of the Holy One is made known. And even if
the humanity of John’s Jesus plays second fiddle to his divinity Jesus is for
Philip and the disciples a present, physical reality that can be seen. And it
is in keeping the word from Jesus’ own lips, “Love one another” that God continues
to be made known. The Holy, Invisible, God Only Wise revealed in kindness
offered, in mercy shown, in comfort extended, in generosity sown, all in the name of
Jesus. And in love extended and received we become the answer to someone’s
desperate prayer - ask anything in my name. God made visible in love. In the
same way that the internal unity of Father, Son, Spirit cannot be separated so
we too cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We will not be left orphaned and alone without a home for the good news is that God knows our name.
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