John 17.10 records, Everything I have belongs to You, and everything You have belongs to Me.
In this passage of Scripture Jesus is wrapping up His ministry on earth with a prayer that He has allowed to be recorded for posterity that we might better understand the heart, mind and will of God. In this prayer Jesus reminds the Father that everything He has belongs to Him..pause. What does Jesus possess at this time in His prayer?
The way we measure possessions, the only thing Jesus has are the clothes on His back. The very clothes that will soon be torn from Him and doled out to His executioners as they hang Him naked on a cross. Jesus, from an earthly prospective, had nothing.
It’s easy to give to God nothing, which is what most of us feel like we have to give Him. Perhaps this explains why we give so little to God.
From God’s perspective what did Jesus have? The most important thing Jesus had was His obedience. It was His perfection that would allow Him to become the sacrifice for the sin of humanity necessary to satisfy God’s justice so that He could pardon sinners like us.
Jesus had His commitment to finish the work He started. A not too distant future prayer would reveal how hard this commitment was for the human side of Jesus.
Jesus also had the fruit of His discipleship efforts. He had worked three years to prepare a handful of men and women to continue the work He would make possible by His crucifixion and resurrection. The seed Jesus planted in their hearts and minds would soon bear much fruit when the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Conversely, what did God the Father have that belonged to Jesus? God has all glory, honor and power forever. God has life and life abundant. God has unbroken perfect fellowship within Himself causing Him everlasting peace, joy and love. All of this Jesus had before He came to earth and maintained by His obedience on earth to be reengaged at His resurrection from earth.
When we say all I have is yours God, what are we really offering Him? When we say all we want is God what are we expecting from Him and do we really want it?
