Three is a Crowd

You ever tried to have an intimate moment with someone and suddenly another person steps in and crashes the mood? Of course, you have, particularly if you have kids. Well imagine how the Father feels in His relationship with you. The trouble is that He is not concerned with another person so much as he is concerned about the company you keep bringing into every situation. You know, your three amigos: Me, Myself, and I.

Here is a definition of a term which at first glance could describe the playground of most believers in western religion:

“A personality disorder characterized by extreme self-centeredness and self-absorption, fantasies involving unrealistic goals, an excessive need for attention and admiration, and disturbed interpersonal relationships.”

Take a moment to assess how many prayers you have made which featured one of the three amigos. How many of these prayers ever came through? If you’re like most people you’ve taken the admission on the heavenly slot machine, “well, next time…” when things never materialized as you intended.

The reason for almost every disappointment in prayer is simply because your ego doesn’t believe it is living in the kingdom of God. Consider these quotes from the Master to see if your life conforms to the kingdom model.

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Joh 12:44-45 Jesus cried and said, He that believes on me, believes not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that sees me sees him that sent me.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as you, Father, art in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.

One of the most noticeable things in the published works about Jesus is his disregard for his ego. His ability to clearly demonstrate his relationship with the Father and submit his will to the will of the Father is the cornerstone for what it means to live life like Jesus. Time and again Jesus, as the verses above show, placed the Father desires above his own.

There might be some who will claim that Jesus spoke about himself frequently through what has been called the “I am” statements found in the fourth gospel. This perception might seem valid when those reading, for example, the passage which claims, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father accept through me.” This seems rather egotistic no matter how you read it. Even the claim, “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life,” appears to throw the focus on Jesus rather than the Father. But if the Father and Jesus are one, who is speaking these truths? That is the question that layman and theologians have wrestled with for centuries. I’m not going to claim that I have the definitive answer. However, oneness blends the lines of separation despite what the eyes claim to see.

The greater question is whether you have the same claim to oneness shared by Jesus and his Father. If you aren’t sure how to answer this question maybe you need to reflect on how crowded your relationship is and take some steps to corral the amigos who think they have a greater importance to your divine destiny. Hopefully, you can you hear the knocking at the door which is waiting for You to answer.