Knowing Jesus

“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?”
(John 14:9)

There are few questions that convict me as deeply as the one Jesus asked Philip. Look again at the verse and fill in your name to see if Jesus’ question speaks to you as well.

There’s no doubt that Jesus’ earthly ministry was relatively short, three years to be exact. Further, once Jesus began his public ministry, he and the disciples were seldom alone. They were pressed by crowds of people everywhere they went. In that sense, there was little one-on-one time between Philip and Jesus. So when Jesus asked, “Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me?” he must have had something other than earthly familiarity in mind.

Now as I’ve considered Jesus’ question, a number of thoughts came to me. Let me share them with you. The first is that familiarity with Jesus is not necessarily based on the length of the relationship. Unlike human relationships that deepen only with time, closeness to Jesus is not as dependent upon time. In that sense, I think God blesses us richly when our goal is to become more intimate with Jesus even when we have not known him for a lengthy period of time. I think it brings joy to Jesus when his children take the steps necessary to become more intimate with him. I’ve come to see that the more intimate we become with Jesus, the greater the fruit he brings to bear in our lives. Since he is the vine and we are the branches, intimacy with Christ is mandatory for spiritual fruit to occur.

The second thought that struck me is that as we become more intimate with Jesus, the less we will be prominent, and the more Jesus will be prominent. In other words, as our intimacy with Jesus deepens, those around us will sense Christ as opposed to sensing us. Have you ever interacted with a Christian in whose presence you sense Christ above their presence? I have, and it is a sweet thing indeed.

Third, intimacy with Jesus brings us a pleasant, agreeable and satisfying confidence, even in the midst of life’s most challenging events. I trust you’ve known the beauty that a deep relationship with a friend brings during troubling times. Deep intimacy with Jesus brings us an even deeper measure of comfort and confidence.

Friends, it doesn’t matter how long you have been a Christian; knowing Jesus should always be a priority. After 41 years of being a Christian, there is a sense in which I’m still getting to know him. I don’t want to stop getting to know Jesus. How about you?