◄ Life Eternal ►

Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me?
John 14:9

I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.
John 14: 10

This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent.
John 17:3

Eye-Witness

Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me? This disciple had been with the Lord for over three years. He has seen Christ's beautiful life. He had felt His gentle touch. He had witnessed His strength and His kindness. He had been an eye-witness to His works of power and His words of wisdom.

Wrong Perception

Surely after such a length of time, this disciple should have known his Lord? Surely after such intimacy, he should have a greater awareness of Who He was? How this must have saddened the heart of the Saviour to say.. hast thou not known me, Philip?  Yes, Jesus had to tell him that he did not really know Him at all. How could Philip have been with the Lord so long and yet not know Him?  How was this possible?

Warning Word

What a warning to each of us to examine our own walk with the Lord. What a caution for each of us to take note of our spiritual journey with Him. What a lesson to find we can walk a long time with the Lord and not know Him.. not really know Him – not know Him as intimately as He desires to be known.

Gentle Reproof

Jesus loved Philip with a godly love that is impossible to understand. Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another as I have loved you.. and yet His gentle reproof to this precious disciple was: have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me? John 14:9

Know or KNOW

Philip 'knew' the man, Jesus of Nazareth. He knew He was the son of Mary, brother of James and Jude. He watched this performer of miracles with incredibility. He listened to the lovely words that poured like healing oil from His lips and agreed:- never a man spoke like this man, and they wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. John 7:46. He observed His glorious character His compassion and His grace. Oh yes, Philip knew a lot about the Lord Jesus – but as yet he did not 'know' Him.

God Incarnate

He did not know Him as the One that was revealed of the Father. He did not know Him as the Divine glory, full of grace and truth. He did not recognise the radiance and life that streamed from Him. He did not know that: this is My beloved Son in Whom I Am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

Intimate or Afar

Not to know the Lord in this capacity is not to know Him as all. Not to know as the Son of God’s love is to miss out on intimacy with Him. We may be quite familiar with the facts of Christ’s life – His birth in Bethlehem; His marvellous miracles; His ascension from Olivet. We may know the prophecies that tell of His life and death and even His return. We may accept Him as our Saviour and read the Bible and pray as well, but we may be walking 'afar off' from His presence. We may be following Him at a distance. We may follow Him from a long way away.

Our Need

We need to be close to the Lord and really get to know Him. We need to bathe ourselves in intimate fellowship and communion with Him. It is not the fault of the Lord if He seems far off from any one of us. This divine love is close to each of us perpetually.

His Grace

His grace is poured over us in great abundance. His holy correction is administered to us with infinite tenderness, but we need to take time to get to know Him. May the deep desire of each of our heart be: "Lord, make yourself KNOWN to Me".