All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27 NAS95)
Jesus, in this context, speaks out spontaneously in prayer before others (Matt. 11:25). Joy fills His heart and it just spills over. He almost can’t help Himself. Conversation between Jesus and His Father naturally weaves through the fabric of Christ’s life. Here Jesus’ joy in the Father becomes visible and Jesus sees His work in light of His intimacy with His Father. He knows the Father so thoroughly that whatever Jesus says or does flows naturally from that relationship, and reflects that relationship, and as a result reveals the character of God.
Jesus’ outburst in prayer follows from a question asked by His cousin, John the Baptist. Was Jesus the Messiah? Jesus’ response to His cousin’s inquiry describes the expressions of the Father’s love He had displayed: the blind see; lepers, cleansed; the deaf hear; the dead raised; the gospel preached. God, though Jesus, busied Himself with evidence that He desired out of love to redeem, heal and restore a broken and lost creation. He’d done this work in many places. All of Jesus’ work revealed His Father’s heart. Jesus’ deep intimacy and knowledge of the Father held the key to this revelation. The intimacy Jesus had with the Father filled Him with a deep experience of the love He communicated and displayed, which forms the revelation made. The joy Jesus felt too when He reflected on God’s work. What a model of communion to follow! Amazing!
For Reflection:
“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalms 9:10 NAS95)
- How does your experience of intimacy with God in prayer impact what you share about Him with others?
- How would you describe your heart experience of God in prayer?
