Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (John 17:24 NIV)

In John 17, Jesus is praying to his Father and giving an account of the things he has accomplished during his time on earth. It reads like the completion, or fulfilment, of a mission statement: "This is what you sent me to do and this is what I have done".

The prayer contains an important list of things the Son has done is making his Father known. ​

"I want those you have given me to be with me where I am". As we read through this chapter we see how Jesus has shown what the Father is like, he has given us the Father's words of eternal life and he shows how we can live like the Trinity.

And now we are given a personal invitation. An invitation to be with Jesus where he is. 

Well, before we accept this invitation we need to know where Jesus is. Right now, in this present moment, where is he? That's where we're invited to be. 

We read in John 1:18 that Jesus came from the bosom, or side, of the Father. Once again a picture of intimacy; a son leaning against his father's heart. In John 14, we read that Jesus is going back home, to his Father's house and then he and the Father, through the Holy Spirit, will return and make their home with us. 

This is the invitation: we are invited to be at home with the Father. To be at his side, leaning against his heart. 

This is an invitation and, as such, it requires a response. It's Jesus' desire to take us where he is but he leaves us with a choice - do we want to be at home with the Father?

It's a question we can only answer for ourselves. We can look from afar or we can draw near and allow our hearts to come home. 

My encouragement is for you to come home. Allow yourself to be drawn into that place of intimacy with the Father. Allow Jesus to take you to the Father, his Father and your Father. ​

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.​ (John 17:22-23 NIV)

In John 17, Jesus is praying to his Father and giving an account of the things he has accomplished during his time on earth. It reads like the completion, or fulfilment, of a mission statement: "This is what you sent me to do and this is what I have done".

The prayer contains an important list of things the Son has done is making his Father known. ​

​"That they may be one, as we are one". The life that is in Jesus is in us. The relationship Jesus has with his Father is imparted to us, we can have the same intimate relationship, with the Father, that Jesus had. 

When Jesus prays that we may be one, we often think that he is talking about our relationships with one another. I believe that is correct. But as I've meditated on this verse, I wonder if there is another interpretation or meaning to Jesus' words. What about us being one with him in the same way that Jesus is one with him?

Having prayed that we may be one he then expresses his desire for us to be involved, or to live in, the unity of the Trinity. He really wants us to know that we are in him as much as he is in us. It is a profound description of unity and intimacy. This is not a distant relationship, but the closest of Father-Son relationships and we are invited to participate. 

As Jesus accounts to his Father for the things he has accomplished, he is clear that we have been enabled to live like the Trinity live. A life of intimacy and unity is one of rest and peace. It is a fulfilled life. ​

I am finding there is a greater longer in my heart for His Presence. I guess it's a recognition of his greatness compared to my very limited ability. 

The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27: 1&4 NIV)

Psalm 27 is a tremendous declaration of the security of finding our home in his presence. It’s very easy for us to succumb to the fear in the world, and at the moment there is no shortage of that! David's conclusion, in verse 3, is that whatever happens, whatever comes against him, he can be confident. Confident, not in his own strength or abilities but in who God is. The Lord is his stronghold and he is ours too. The Lord is his salvation and he is ours too. 

We have an assurance that in the day of trouble He will keep us safe and will lift us up above the enemies which surround us. 

The more we seek his Presence the more this assurance will become a foundation in our heart. We have nothing to fear because we know who God really is. 

David's confident conclusion is that he will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. That, too, can be our confident conclusion.

Last week I looked at the start of this story: how the Lord longs to carry his people ALL the way. Through our ups and downs he will be faithful and we can trust in his strength. This is how Moses draws the story to a close. 

There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, ‘Destroy them!' (Deuteronomy 33:26-27 NIV)

A picture of majesty and strength yet one of tenderness and compassion. We have a powerful God who rides effortlessly across the skies yet he is the One who reaches down and encircles us with his everlasting arms. 

For us to be carried we need to recognise our own weakness and allow ourselves to be vulnerable before him. It is, after all, little children, not teenagers who are carried by their parents. They know their vulnerability and their own inability to achieve greatness. 

We see what true vulnerability looks like in Psalm 51. David, recognising his own sin, comes before the Lord and asks for mercy, he wants his sin washed away and to be cleansed, he seeks a pure heart and a desire to remain in the Lord's presence. He asks for restoration. 

It is my prayer that we can have the same vulnerability. To be open before him as we recognise our weakness, this is the key to being encircled by his everlasting arms. 

Isn't it wonderful when a friend helps you with a difficult project or walks through a tough season with you? We all need friends like that but imagine if that was something God was always doing for you.

Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” (Deuteronomy 1:29-31 NIV)

I find these verses very encouraging, particularly because they are written to a people in rebellion. The nation of Israel had been in captivity for a long time, they'd had a traumatic escape and then a forty year journey through the wilderness. A journey made much longer because of their persistent rebellion.

Of course, there were consequences for that rebellion. In these few sentences we read of the nature and personality of the One to whom all this rebellion had been against. For forty years he had provided their daily food, their clothes and shoes did not wear out, he provided warmth at night and guided them on the journey each and every day. What a comparison of faithfulness to ingratitude.

Despite the pride, rebellion and independence God truly had been a Father to his people. It is, however, God's tenderness and compassion that always strikes me. He has reached down, picked up his rebellious children and been the One who has carried them ALL the way. As he did for them so he will do for you. Whatever challenges you face today let him carry you, not only your burdens - but you.

We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. These blessings, though, are not just for us in isolation. When pooled together we become a family. 

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:114-16 NIV)

This family is likened to a body where every part has a job to do and when working together, the body, or family, will work properly. 

No earthly family is perfect, we all have our squabbles and disagreements. Sometimes they can be bitter and divisive but mostly they are short-lived and harmony and peace is restored. When we live in love there is something in us that does not want to dwell on the disagreement. Instead we seek restoration and relationship. 

It's the same with our spiritual family, the church. Yes, there are times when we are 'blown here and there' but that does not have to be the end of the story. We are held together by love and as we discover the wide range of gifts and personalities that are amongst us, we truly become the family of God. A family that loves and cares for one another. 

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 4:32-5:2 NIV)

Here's another promise! We can actually understand the vastness of God's love. 

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV)

When I think of the love of God I think of something that is eternal, something that never runs out or gives up on me. I think of something that is tangible and with me every moment of every day. It's immeasurable. It has to be immeasurable or God becomes finite.

It's no wonder Paul prays that we would be strengthened through the Holy Spirit. We simply can't contain the fulness of God's love in our limited state.

May this be the cry of our heart. We want to know the presence of Christ living in us, we want to experience the increasing fulness of his love, we want to be filled with all the fulness of God (that's a lot of fulness). We don't understand it with our mind (that's too limiting) - we understand it with our heart. May this become your longing today!

In these few verses Paul's joy is overflowing. He knows who he is and he longs that we would have the same discovery.

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:15-19a NIV)

​God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ simply because we belong to him, we are his sons and daughters. This is such an amazing truth but one we often miss or see through filtered glasses.

In this powerful prayer, Paul prays that the glorious Father will give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation to help us know him better. I believe this is a longing in our hearts. We really do want to know God and walk in his ways although sometimes we're not sure how that can happen. Here is the mystery: God, the Father, gives us the very thing we need to enable us to know him. We don't get to know God through our own effort, instead we receive a gift from him which enables us to know him.

Not only does this gift enable us to know him, it also causes the eyes of our heart (often dimmed or closed) to be opened and then we see who we are. We find our place of belonging in the Father's family and can step into the inheritance which is freely given to sons and daughters. My prayer today is that you know more fully who God is and that you see more clearly who you are.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a tremendously joyful celebration.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. (Eph 1:3-7 NIV)

​I encourage you to read chapter one and count the individual blessings that are now ours through Christ. It's not just the ones that have been listed, Paul says; every spiritual blessing is ours and has been given freely to us. There may be times when we don't feel particularly blessed, we may be going through struggles or hardships and feel that life has become a bit of a fight. That's ok! Our inheritance is not dependent on our earthly circumstances but has been secured for us and held safe in the heavenly places. If you like, they're in our heavenly bank account.

We are blessed in such an extravagant way simply because we belong to God, not as a chattel or piece of property but as sons and daughters. Before the creation of the world the Father wanted a family and that family included us. We are joint heirs together with him.

In our western understanding the word 'adoption' creates an image of someone who didn't belong who then became a part of the family. That's not the way it is for us; we've always belonged but got lost along the way. Perhaps, instead of adoption, being redeemed back into our sonship is a better way of looking at it.

The greatest blessing of all is the assurance that our sins have been forgiven and we have been made right with God. How wonderful that he chooses to lavish his love and grace on us.

I imagine you're familiar with the account of Jesus' baptism. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are together in physical form for all to witness, maybe for the first time in history. Jesus is baptised, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove and the Father speaks:

Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10-11 NIV)

This is a very personal word of affirmation which the Father speaks over his Son. In Matthew’s account it is a declaration about Jesus to the people listening and watching (“You are my Son….). Mark has chosen to record it as a personal and intimate declaration of a Father affirming his son simply for who he is.

The Father affirms Jesus’ identity as a son, he affirms his love for him and finally he affirms the pleasure and delight his son brings him. It’s a deeply personal affirmation. After his baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan.

You may feel like you’re in the wilderness, you may be facing many different struggles and it is in those struggles that you, too, can hear the Father say: “you are my son, you are my daughter, I love you, I delight in you”. These are words we all need to hear on a regular basis. Why not ask the Father to say them to you today!

Last week I talked about the importance of a homecoming. The younger son came home, he may have thought it was to be a servant, however the father only had one aim and that was to re-instate him as a son. Sadly, the older brother didn’t have the same experience. 

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.’” (Luke 15:28-29, 31 NIV)

Whilst the sons responded differently, the father responds to both of them in the same way and with the same invitation. He goes out to his older son, just as he had for the younger one, and invites him to come in and join the celebration. The older brother can’t do it. He is so judgemental that his desire for right-ness overrides any desire for relationship. 

The father pleads with him and all that does is fall on deaf ears. Despite being given his share of the father’s property at the beginning of the story, the older son claims to have nothing. He claims he’s been treated as a slave and has therefore never been able to behave like a son. 

The father’s response is amazing: “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours”. 

The Father says the same to us today. We are with him - does your heart know that? Everything of his is ours - do you believe that? It’s an incredible statement and a powerful gift. My question is “can you receive it?”

One of the greatest gifts we have is being able to find our true home. God is not only the Lord Almighty, he is also our Father and we can find our home with him. 

But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies - make your way straight before me. (Psalm 5:7-8 NIV)

Homecomings are very important. One of the things I particularly look forward to when I'm travelling is coming back home. After being away for a few days I begin to think about home. Of course, my wife and family are never far from my thoughts, it's just I begin to miss the familiarity of him. My armchair, my stuff, my 'normal' routine; not having to think about what's next, I can relax and, well, be at home.

Jesus makes a very important distinction between a slave and a servant in John 8. A slave does not belong whereas a son belongs to the family; he has a permanent place there. Many people live as slaves not knowing that they belong to the family. This is why a homecoming is so important. We need to know that we belong, that the Father has a place prepared for each one of us, a place that we can call home.

Homes are meant to be safe places, places of rest and peace. Sadly, that's not the case for many whose experience has been one of brokenness, chaos and pain. It's understandable why such people want to avoid anything called 'home' or why they prefer an isolated existence with limited interaction with others. 

The Father has a place for us all. It's a place in his heart that is reserved for you. It's a place where you'll feel secure and know that you're loved. It's a place where you will come to know that you are no longer a slave but a child of God. It's the place called home. 

Last week I wrote about how constant the plans of the Lord are. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the Lord and he does not change. He is loving us with an everlasting love. 

“I myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you as sons and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me." (Jeremiah 3:19 NIV)

This is, I believe, the eternal plan of the Father. In Ephesians 1 Paul writes that, from before the creation of the world, we were meant to be sons and daughters to the Father. Although everything changed for us through the fall, God did not change. His plan remained the same and it does so today, for us.

This verse in Jeremiah summarises God's heart for his people: he wants to treat us as sons, he wants us to know that we belong and he wants us to live in the fulness of our inheritance. This is his desire but it seems there is something preventing that desire being fulfilled. 

What stops the Father's desire being fulfilled is our independence which is founded on rebellion. We do not come to him and call him 'Father'. He is reaching out to us. Can we respond with an 'Abba' cry in our heart? As we turn and acknowledge him as Father so we are able to walk into the affirmation of our identity, our belonging and our inheritance. We do not have to continue to live as orphans, we can come home. There is an open invitation for you to step into the arms of love.