DON’T I HAVE AN EXCUSE?
Let’s take a close look at the scripture that tells us the story of Philip.
Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Jn. 14:8-11
In Philip’s estimations, if Jesus could only show them the Father, he would have what it takes to do whatever he desires to do in life. Only one thing is missing, “show us the Father.” In other words, he was trying to say; yes, Jesus we enjoy your company, it’s great that you are around, its wonderful being with you, but you see we are limited, we can’t do much. You see, you are doing everything you are doing because you know the father, you’ve got the father. We are helpless, we can’t do much, and we can’t even begin to imagine doing what you are doing because we have an excuse. We don’t know the Father. If only we could know the Father, our story will be different. If only we had known the Father, we could have been doing everything you expected from us. So Jesus, thank you for all you have been to us. Just one little thing remaining, show us the father. As a matter of fact, if you show us the father, that will be enough for us. Just show us the Father.
In spite of Philip’s passionate plea, Jesus being a master of men and thoughts that He was, He knew that there is no end to people’s desires. I am almost sure Jesus knew that there is no guarantee that Philip and his friends could be satisfied as they claimed. If you don’t know how to be satisfied with the little you have, there is no guarantee that when you are given much, you are going to be satisfied. Even though Philip claimed that if Jesus will only show them the Father they shall be satisfied, or in his words “Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us.”
Well, not really. Our desires and wants are always unlimited and infinite in its scope. The proof that showing them to the Father will still not satisfy them, is in the fact that they actually already had Him and they were not satisfied. The father had indeed been with them all along, it’s just that they didn’t know. So if they are not satisfied now, they will never get to the stage where they will actually be satisfied.
This is a tendency with people. If you are the type that has not learnt to be satisfied at any stage in your life, more and greater will still not guarantee you satisfaction. People who have the tendency to be unsatisfied, don’t normally get satisfied easily.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW…
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, CHURCH AND NATION
By Pastor Sunday Adelaja.
