Read: John 14:8-21
In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (v. 20)
When I was a young child, I was confused by the lyrics to the Sunday school song, “Into My Heart,” even as I sang along with “Come in today, come in to stay; Come into my heart, Lord Jesus” (Harry D. Clarke). How could Jesus be inside me? My literal mind couldn’t figure out how this happens. How can Jesus be “in” his Father, his disciples (and all believers) be “in” Jesus, and at the same time Jesus dwells “in” our hearts?
I have tried, unsuccessfully, to imagine an apt metaphor for this mysterious “in-ness.” Is it like being immersed in a vast ocean, surrounded by water, or is it like taking in food, which then directly becomes a part of you? No tangible image seems adequate.
It seems incomprehensible that perfectly divine love desires such a deep connection with us. Even harder to fathom is the idea that if we’re one with the Father and the Son, then we’re one with each other. Our close relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ is a recurring theme in Jesus’s final discourse, one that we should continually strive to understand and practice. In Colossians 1:27, Paul refers to “the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” As Jesus abides in us, lives in us, may our lives be transformed into his likeness.
As you pray, ask the Father and Son for their perfect unity to be evident in us as believers.
About the Author
Denise Vredevoogd
Denise Vredevoogd is a private piano teacher who lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan. She enjoys reading, writing, gardening, and spending time in nature with her adult sons and daughters.
