Not only does Jesus love his heavenly Father in wholehearted and self-sacrificing obedience, as we saw in Meditation 15 but the Bible also shows us how much the Father loves his devout Son.
Already 700 years before Jesus’ first arrival in our world, God had indicated the future messianic ministry of his Son. He announced by his prophet Isaiah: "Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, and I am very pleased with him. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1 and Matthew 12:18. See also Meditation 9).
After Jesus’ baptism and anointing with God’s Spirit - before the start of his Earthly ministry - a voice from heaven said to him: “You are my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with you” (Luke 3:22).
In a remarkable message, John the Baptist speaks about Jesus and explains to his followers: “He (i.e. Jesus) has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth, but he has come from heaven. He tells what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Those who believe him discover that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God's Spirit is upon him without measure or limit. The Father loves his Son, and he has given him authority over everything” (John 3:31-35).
During Jesus’ 'transfiguration', not long before his eventual suffering and sacrificial death, a voice from heaven speaks again of Jesus, saying: “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him. Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).
During his earthly ministry, Jesus discloses to the Jewish religious leaders how intimate is the loving relationship between himself and his heavenly Father: "I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and tells him everything he is doing...” (John 5:19-20).
On the evening before his death, Jesus professes his love to his friends. He assures them that his love for them is the same divine love which the Father has for him: "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love” (John 15:9-10. See also Meditation 13).
That night Jesus assures his heavenly Father that he will continue to demonstrate God’s love for his friends: “I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you. I will do this so that your love for me may be in them...” (John 17:26).
So, if we live as Jesus lived, and if we love God as Jesus did, we will experience God’s love as Jesus experienced it. That is Jesus’ promise!
All Bible verses are quoted from the ‘New Living Translation’.
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