Thoughts on the Gospel of John (173) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
John 17:24

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (173)
In His mind, the Lord is already in heaven, in His Father’s house. The disciples, on the other hand, are still here in this world. But He does not want to be separated from them forever: He wants to come back and fetch them and have them with Him forever – where He is. The Lord had already communicated this desire of His heart to His disciples at the beginning of His farewell discourses (ch. 14:3). Here He tells His Father once again how much He longs for His own. And how should believers respond to this? “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

There cannot be a more beautiful dwelling place than the Father’s House. This house is not part of creation, but the eternal dwelling place of God. There has never been a trace of sin there! But that alone is not what makes the place so attractive to believers. He Himself who loved them and gave Himself for them – He Himself is there. To be “always … with the Lord” means perfect sufficiency and perfect happiness.

Believers will behold the glory of the Son of God for eternity. It is not that glory which no one knows but the Father (Matthew 11:27). Nor is it the glory that He will share with them and that the world will see at His appearing (v. 23; Colossians 3:4). It is a glory that is intimately connected with the eternal love between the Father and the Son. He possessed it before the foundation of the world, and He possesses it now as man. This glory is entirely outside this world and is only for those who have their home in heaven.

(to be continued next Sunday)

Today’s reading: Ezra 1:1-11 · Proverbs 3:19-35