the PRAYER. . .

God our creator, the resurrection of your Son offers life to all the peoples of earth. By your Holy

Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love, empow-ering our lives for service and our tongues for praise, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

the READING. . .

"Philip said to [Jesus], 'Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me....'" John 14:8-17 , John 14:25-27

the DEVOTION. . .
Innocuous! I never thought I'd ever use that word. But, for some reason, when I heard Philip's request - that Jesus show them the Father - that's the word that came to mind. Innocuos! Harmless! Inoffensive! Safe! Something that doesn't hurt anyone. Unless, of course, you ask it at the wrong time! Like on a Thursday night... in an upper room... around a table... in the shadow of the cross...

Yes. Yet, again, it's "the night in which he was betrayed." And just a few verses earlier, Jesus had gotten up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied on an apron. He'd poured water into a basin, knelt on the floor, and one... by one... by one... by one... washed the feet of the disciples. When he was done, he took off the apron, set aside the basin, put his robe back on, and when he had taken his place at the table, he gave his friends a new commandment. "Love like me!"

Ten verses later, with his feet still damp, "Philip said to [Jesus], 'Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.'" Innocuous? Harmless? Inof-fensive? Safe? Hardly. "After all you've seen... after all you've heard... after all we've done... after all we've been through... especially, on this night... Philip... you still don't get it... you still don't understand..."

Bob Barndt, pastor