Knowing the Father

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading titled Knowing the Father was written by Con Campbell. According to legend, British conductor Sir Thomas Beecham once saw a distinguished looking woman in a hotel foyer. Believing he knew her but unable to remember her name, he paused to talk with her. As the two chatted, he vaguely recollected that she had a brother. Hoping for a clue, he asked how her brother was doing and whether he was still working at the same job.

Oh, he's very well, she said, and still king. A case of mistaken identity can be embarrassing, as it was for Sir Beecham, but at other times it may be more serious, as it was for Jesus' disciple, Philip. The disciple knew Christ, of course, but he hadn't fully appreciated who he was. He wanted Jesus to show them the Father, and Jesus responded in John 14, As God's unique son, Christ reveals the Father so perfectly that to know one is to know the other. If we ever wonder what God is like in his character, personality, or concern for others, we only need to look at Jesus to find out. Christ's character, kindness, love, and mercy reveal God's character. And although our amazing, awesome God is beyond our complete comprehension and understanding, we have a tremendous gift in what he's revealed of himself in Jesus.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from the book of John, chapter 14, verses 8 through 11. Philip said, Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered, Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me?

The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father living in Me who is doing His work. Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Let's pray. Father, throughout scripture and throughout history, people have mistaken You for someone else. Even today, people fail to connect the character of Jesus with You. Please remove the scales from our eyes so we can see You clearly. Remind us of Jesus' words in John 14, 9 when He said, Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. Help us to see You today, Lord. Thank You, Father. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.