January 07: John 16:7 - Pursuing An Intimate Relationship With Jesus (Today's Reflection from My Utmost For His Highest)

Gold sky background, hands reaching up, one hand reaching down.

How do we move from knowing Jesus by His works to knowing Him as Friend? Today's passages invite us beyond miracles into the quiet of relationship.

Daily Bible Verse: John 14:9 (NLT)

Jesus replied, "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see Him?"

How long have you walked with Jesus? Do you know Him only for what He does, or do you know Him for who He is? The disciples had seen power - healing, deliverance, bold preaching - but Jesus calls them to something deeper: intimacy.

John 15:15 (NLT)

"I no longer call you servants... Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me."

Friendship with Jesus means honesty and openness. He knows your heart and your thoughts. He invites you into conversation, not just service. This is a rare, precious kind of friendship - one that meets you where you are and walks with you through every ordinary moment.

John 16:7 (NLT)

"But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Counselor won't come. If I do go away, He will come because I will send Him to you."

When Jesus ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. The Spirit knows your most secret places and meets you with compassion and understanding. You are never alone. When you yield to the Spirit's presence, He brings the intimacy that steadies your heart and steadies your life.

What intimacy looks like

Quiet moments of listening more than speaking.
Honest prayers that name fear, hope, and need.
Small daily practices: a breath prayer, a short Scripture read, a moment of silence before decisions. (Create your own daily practices and share in "comments" to inspire others.)

The result of this intimacy is a life that is strong, calm, and balanced - rooted in the presence of Christ rather than in circumstances.

A flower's peaceful reflection in water.

Prayer

Lord, show me how to turn my life over to You.

Teach me to listen.

Guide my thoughts, words, and deeds.

Help me yield to the Holy Spirit and trust Your gentle leading.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Breath Prayer

Come, Lord Jesus...come.

Benediction

May the peace of God, which exceeds anything we can understand, be yours today.
Selah.

Go forth in His promise, walk boldly in His truth, and rest in His peace.
Jesus,
The Quill and Me

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March 12: Mark 10:28 - The Choice of Christ Alone (Today's Reflection from My Utmost For His Highest)

Bible Verse Mark 10:28 "Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You' " Reflection Total surrender is never a transaction—it is a preference. Not a preference for relief, usefulness, holiness, or spiritual gain, but a quiet, unwavering choosing of Jesus Christ Himself. Peter’s words, “We have left all and followed You,” reveal how easily we imagine surrender as something we give for something in return. But Jesus redirects the entire center of gravity: “for My sake and the gospel’s.” Chambers presses into the uncomfortable truth—we often want God’s gifts more than God. We want cleansing, usefulness, spiritual brightness, or a sense of being “on display” as proof of His work in us. But genuine surrender is not motivated by any of these. It is the laying down of every subtle self-claim so that Christ becomes the only reason, the only aim, the only desire. True surrender goes beyond natural devotion. It steps past the excuses we make in the name of ...

The Quill and Me—A Devotional Blog Featuring Oswald Chambers Reflections

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