Listen

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here is a genuine Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are God’s Son. You are the king of Israel.”

Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these! I assure you that you will see heaven open and God’s angels going up to heaven and down to earth on the Human One.”

John 1:47-51

Think

Nathanael hadn’t even met Jesus, yet he was already fully known and beloved.

To be known in our hearts, all our challenges, all our flaws, all our gifts, all our good choices, all our not so good choices, all that we hurt for, all that we hope for, all that we regret, all that we imagine — this is what Jesus offers to Nathanael and to us.

This unashamed, unconditional love rooted in a divine understanding of who we are seems like a rather incredible gift to me. If that’s the life God calls us to, isn’t that enough of a gift?

And yet Jesus promises Nathanael that he’ll see even greater things — that a kingdom of God will come with life eternal in God’s embrace.

God doesn’t just offer us love; God also offers us transformative grace.

Like Nathanael, some days I’m just in awe of God knowing me. Yet when I remember that God offers that love through the lens of grace, that gift becomes ever more incredible and ever more real.

Molly Logan

Pray

Gracious and loving God, thank you for knowing me and loving me enough to offer me grace and life eternal in your embrace. Help me to learn how to extend that love and grace to others today. Amen.

Go

I said, “I’m here; send me.”

Isaiah 6:8b

May we go into our days celebrating that God knows us, loves us, and calls us to share that grace and care with all whom we encounter today.