He [Jesus] said to them[Andrew and John], “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. John 1: 39
I should have saved my work more frequently. The computer glitched again and I lost everything I just wrote. I should have known better. I should have acted upon what I had seen happen already. But I didn’t take heed. I didn’t act on what I knew to be true, on what I knew to be a danger, on what I knew to be the best course of action for the good of this devotion being completed. And that’s frustrating. But it also allows me to see this verse from this new perspective.
So, back to relating what is happening up to this verse. And the whole thing is about seeing and remembering what we see and observe and come to experience and acting on it appropriately. Well, it’s even more than that. But I digress again. I’m prone to that. So back to the account. John the Baptist has just identified You to the people and to his disciples. “Behold, the Lamb of God!” It’s like he’s saying, “Wow, I want You to look at Him! This is the Messiah, the Anointed One, that Scripture has been telling us about.”
What do Andrew and John do with that information? Do they just look and keep following John the Baptist? Or do they follow Jesus? Well, Scripture tells me, “the two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.” (John 1:37) Which reminds me, I better stop and save this. Sorry for the interruption, but if I don’t act upon what I’ve seen, I may lose everything again. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, Lord, they saw and they acted upon what they saw. They left John and they followed the One who John had been preparing them for. They made the commitment to take a leap of faith. Because You were who they were seeking in the first place. They responded to what they saw.
And You respond to that. You “turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” (John 1:38) Now, I think, Lord, that You like to have fun with words and their meanings. It’s as though even Your individual words are parables in themselves. And when You asked them, “What are you seeking?” , I don’t think You were just asking them what they wanted or what they were seeking in a casual way. Because the word “zeteo” hear means to “seek” in Greek but it’s Hebraism is “to worship God.” So, when I really think about it, I think You are asking them, “Have you come to worship me? Why are you really here?”
I love Andrew and John’s response. “Rabbi, where are You staying?” Need to stop again and save. Hold on. Learning from past experience. O.k., so back to the response. For Andrew and John, to give Jesus the title Rabbi was for these men to say, “Master.” They knew what it was to follow a master. They had just left their master, John, and are now attaching themselves to their new Master. They knew this meant they would be becoming personally acquainted with You. That was the goal of a disciple, to become like their Master by becoming so well acquainted with Him. And it’s still Your desire for Your disciples today. And I’m pretty sure that when they asked where You were staying, that they were not just asking about You, but this was their way of inviting themselves to get to know You better.
I did that once. Three years ago I asked a missionary if I could stay with her and serve with her. And just like Jesus, she said, “Yes.” So this story, this true story about Andrew and John and You, Jesus, is so exciting for me. Because this is still what happens today when we seek You and commit to truly worship You with all our being! Oh, how can I explain the knowledge that comes from true intimacy when You really stop to “see” a person and invest Your life in theirs and vice-versa? “Can we come and live with You? Can we devote ourselves to learning Who You Are?”
“Come and you will see.” This is what You wanted all along. This is what they had been prepared for. “Come.” Sorry, had to stop and save again. Now, back to the scene. You invite them in. “Come.” You accept their response to action. “Come and see.” You invite them in to see, experience, and know You personally and intimately. And they came and “abode” with You. This is still the only way that we can become intimately knowledgeable of You today, just like it was the only way then. We must abide with You.
And that brings me back to my own experience of abiding with my friend (who is a missionary). I think of eating what she eats. I think of staying up late just sharing about the Lord. I think of being ministered to when my heart ached and getting to minister back. I think of learning about her heart’s desires and she learning mine. I think of laughter and tears together. And I think of learning how to serve, of what humility looks like in a person, of what sacrifice looks like on the human side. I think of encouragement and being built up and strengthened. I think of being protected and cared for. I think about learning how to recipricate all these things back. And all of this is just a picture of what You, Jesus, want to experience with us and how You, Jesus, want us to experience this in and with You, even today.
You tell me this story, this true story, because You want me to come and seek You like that. You want me to learn to worship You intimately. You want to invite me into You. It’s all about abiding. You say, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me.” (John 15:4) It’s true. I have to eat with You, sleep with You, walk with You, talk with You, listen, and see. But it can’t stop there. Oh, let me save one more time. I don’t want to forget to act on what I’ve seen to be true. And that’s the point. Abiding in You means soaking You all in and then taking it a step further, acting upon it, acting upon You. That’s a disciple, one who soaks all of You up in worship like a sponge and then doesn’t just keep it all in. They let You squeeze it out of us and pour Yourself over us and all those we come in contact with. Now I can take what I see and know of You and I can act upon it because You give me the power to do so. Because You are all about being and doing the will of God.
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4) So, how do I get here? First I must see You. Then I must trust in You and act upon that trust. In that trusting and acting, You will continually feed me. And the more I experience You, the more and more and more I will delight in You.
Lord, I am so glad for the way You open my eyes to see You. I’m glad that it is Your desire for me to not only see You, but to know You and experience You. Teach me to truly worship You with all of my being. And may I come and remain in intimate relationship with You. Continually reveal Yourself to me and continually make me more and more like You. I want You to be my true delight, always. Thank You, for drawing me to You and teaching me how to respond to Your invitation. And thanks for today’s computer glitch that is teaching me to act upon the things You show me. Lord, continually draw others to You in this same intimate relationship. And let us rejoice together in You.
A Deeper Treasure 