“I Saw You Under The Fig Tree”

John 1:47-50 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, “I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

I love a good set of binoculars. They allow me to clearly see birds that are too far away. As the weather warms, and the migratory birds pass through there are many wonderful and beautiful birds that will pause for a rest in the trees of our neighborhood park. The binoculars allow me to look from a distance, marvel at the colors and plumage, and not disturb their rest. Theirs is a long journey and the park is a mere waypoint on that journey.

Binoculars are a very useful tool to enhance our vision. We can make distant objects seem near. They do have limitations. They cannot see beyond over the horizon and they cannot see inside of a building. God on the other hand is not limited in His abilities to see us. He can see us regardless of our location. From the highest mountain to the greatest depth of the ocean, we are always clearly within his sight. And thus it is when Jesus tells Nathanael he saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him. There is a great deal of comfort in what Jesus tells Nathanael. Our Lord and Savior sees us from the very beginning. He knows us even before we were formed in the womb of our mother. We have only to look at Jeremiah 1:5 to see with our own eyes how far back in our own lives the Lord has been in charge. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you… The Lord has always had a firm grip on us. He has been our shepherd, and we have been his sheep. Jesus reminds us of this wonderful and comforting principle in John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” We are sheep in a world filled with wolves constantly on the prowl looking to devour us. Sin is out there waiting, calling & enticing each and every one of us to momentary pleasures. It’s sin that tempts us to give up, to surrender and abandon the life which has been set aside for us. It’s sin that desperately tries to bring us down and place the thought in our mind that we are unworthy of forgiveness. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:1 of our position. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set your free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. He sees us under the fig tree, in our cars, in our homes, and he sees into our hearts.

PRAYER: Thanks be to God, that we who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart of the standard of teaching to which we were committed. We offer praise to God the Father and Spirit giving thanks in the name of Jesus. Amen.