THE GREAT PROMISE

Just before Jesus was crucified he gave his disciples comforting promises. In John’s gospel he says, “I will come to you” and then the promise of promises is “I will love you and disclose myself to you.” Disclose means to reveal. We know him by revelation. The Lover makes it clear that we will know him by his revealing himself to us. It is not that “we get a revelation” but he said he would reveal himself to us.

There is no possible human way to have this revelation by study, academics, hard work, or personal deprivation, strong will or good intentions. It is by him revealing himself to us. This leaves us to posture ourselves for receiving this revelation and knowing full well that his love will exceed our understanding and at this point of human brokenness and trust we have the humility he has waited for as the environment of “knowing him.” It requires faith, but it requires desire first. Faith is shaped by our desire.

The promises are: I will come to you and I will love you and I will disclose myself to you. These three promises need to be received by each of us… right now… today.

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” Jesus