Jesus points to the Father

John 4:21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” After Jesus had revealed that He knew she had been married five times and was living with another man, the woman surmised that Jesus was a prophet and posed the debate between the Samaritans and the Jews as to where God was to be worshiped. It’s interesting that Jesus didn’t comment on either. He didn’t let her distract Him or hijack the conversation. However, He took her response as the Father’s prompting as to where to take the conversation. Remember, Jesus is living to love with His Father. He received this woman’s presence as the Father’s will. He also received her response as from the Father. He knew Proverbs 16:1. “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” So Jesus had clear direction from her response in the way to direct the conversation—in the direction of true worship of the Father. I am learning the same lesson from Jesus as I live to love with Him. As I meet people, I know God has put them there. He has given them to Jesus in me, who will love them. To love with Jesus, I must abide in Him, which means to think like Jesus thinks. I am renewing my mind. I know Jesus believes there is only one God, His Father, from whom are all things. He knows His Father is always working, and He trusts in Him. He is satisfied in His Father’s love and loves to do His will. He believes therefore that the Father has a purpose in everything that happens, namely, to reveal Himself, His presence and power. To live to love with Jesus, we must believe and apply what Jesus believes and lives by. It’s His worldview. As I meet people, I listen to what the Father has them say, as Jesus did with this woman. Then I listen for Jesus’ response. The Holy Spirit gives us the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:10-14) so we reveal that Jesus lives and is present to love. When I do this, I’ve experienced the Holy Spirit’s guidance to Scriptures that are helpful or encouraging to the individual. Sometimes, I’ve received His compassion or sympathy if the person is suffering. When nothing comes in response, then I’m at peace to say nothing or confess what I don’t know. I want to encourage you that we can learn much from this verse if we understand what’s going on between the Father and the Son. To see Jesus is to see the Father (John 14:9-11). As we read this passage, we are watching the Father guide His Son to love this woman. Jesus took her words, and responded to them. He knew His purpose was to glorify the Father by revealing the truth: what God is doing, seeing, and saying. We can see from the beginning of the engagement with the woman where Jesus was going—to the Father as the source of eternal life—true worship. As we live to love with Jesus, we are displaying that very truth. The Father glorifies Himself through His Son as the source of all life. There is one God, from whom are all things. He is the true source of life. May the Holy Spirit open our hearts to understand how to abide in Jesus and live to love with Him. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.