“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

John 15:9-10

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you…” Jesus began. The question that enters my mind as I meditate on those phrases is, “how did the Father love the Son?” My immediate thoughts go to scenes in the gospels where the Father speaks from heaven, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. Then, I picture the many quiet moments Jesus took to get away from the world and be alone with His Father. Many times, we hear Jesus speak of His Father’s love for Him, of His Father glorifying Him, etc. We catch glimpses into the special relationship they had throughout the New Testament.

In these scenes, we see the Father taking pleasure in His Son and speaking it to those nearby. We see intimacy and closeness. We see unity between them. We see a simplicity to the relationship. The love was not based on the amount of good Jesus was doing. It was deeper than that. Far deeper.
Jesus described their relationship one way that struck me as I searched to see all the ways the Father loved the Son:

“The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do: for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does…” –John 5:19-20

Here we see a simplicity to the relationship. There was so much trust on Jesus’ part in the Father that He kept His eyes on Him and did only what He saw His Father doing. The Father loved His Son so much and felt so much delight in Him that He told Him everything that He was doing. There was an openness between them, a deep connection, a simple trust, an intimate knowing.

As I began meditating on this verse, I asked God what His love for His Son was like. He reminded me of my now 4 month old daughter and the immense pleasure I take in her. That was one thing I wasn’t prepared for entering motherhood four months ago. I had no idea the delight a little helpless baby could bring. Why? I believe if anything, God wanted us to get a taste of the delight He takes in His children. There is something about that little baby that brings me so much delight. I don’t take pleasure in her because of what she does, or who I think she may become one day… it is merely because she’s mine.

My favorite moments of all are when she looks into my eyes with a look of awe. I smile at her, and her face breaks into the most precious smile. Something happens in my heart when she looks at me like that. I can’t explain it. My heart soars when she can’t get her eyes off me and keeps smiling. The best words I can use to explain what is going on inside my heart is pleasure and delight.

As He reminded me of all this, He whispered the most precious thing to me: “My love for you is like that!”

The love of the Father for the Son and the love of the Son for us involves intense pleasure and delight. We get God’s heart soaring when we can’t take our eyes off Him. He takes pleasure in us not for what we do, but because we are His.

To be continued in tomorrow’s post

– Sandie B