The Father’s glory

I was daily his delight,

Rejoicing before him always. Proverbs 8:30

 

Read John 8:51—59

‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.’ Let me think about that. If I turn Jesus into a great figure of history, perhaps a religious genius; if I put him up there against Buddha or Mohammad or any quite minor figure I would choose to engage as a life coach; if I say how well Jesus stands up in such company — Moses or Elijah would perhaps be more apt (why not Abraham?) — if I do that I miss the point of who Jesus is. He is only truly known in relationship. In one particular relationship. Only in his relationship with the Father. And the Father himself is only known in relationship. Only in his relationship with the Son.[1] So the great Fathers of the church declared: ‘There never was a time when the Father was not Father because there never was a time when the Son was not Son.’

[1] Matthew 11:27

Prayer
Father, I call you Father, dear Father, because you glorified the Son. Because no one has ever seen God but the Son, close to the Father’s heart. He has made you known.[2] Because you have given all things to the Son, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Because you, Father, have entrusted me to the Son, and he will not drive me away. Because the Spirit who declared him to be your Son at his baptism has now baptised me, united me to the Son, and I too can cry, ‘Abba! Father!’[3] and with him share more and more and more of what he himself has received as Son of the dear Father.