Christmas shopping . . . what to get . . . trying to figure out “the perfect gift” . . . it can be very difficult sometimes. That’s why many people, including our family, leverage the “wish list” approach. While some may think it lacks creativity, it’s a great way of knowing what someone would like as a gift . . . in fact, sometimes the reaction to opening the surprise present is, “Right off the list!” That’s a good thing. Does Jesus have a wish list? Well . . . kind of . . .

There is something very engaging about John 17 . . . something that really draws you in as you “eavesdrop” on this tender prayer of the Son to the Father . . . maybe because it’s kind of about you. Things are about to start to unravel very quickly for the Son of Man . . . the beginning of the march to the cross is but a few steps away . . . and so, Jesus prays for His disciples and, not “for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word” (v.20) . . . uh, that would be us. And Jesus prays for unity . . . unity among believers . . . unity of believers with the Father and the Son . . . that “the world may believe that You have sent Me” (v.21) . . . that the “world may know that You sent Me” (v.22) . . . unity that produces a testimony of the saving grace of the Father through the Son. But what really grabbed me this morning is what Jesus desired . . . what He, in a sense, wished for . . .

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”   – Jesus’ Wish List   (John 17:24 ESV)

Jesus prayed for unity . . . Jesus desired proximity. Jesus asked for oneness, that the world my might see His redeeming love . . . Jesus delighted in the thought of closeness, that His children might behold His heavenly glory. What’s on Jesus’ wish list? If I’m reading this right, He wants us to be with Him as much as we want to be with Him. Does anyone else find that a bit mind stretching?

Jesus . . . He who was before the foundation of the world . . . He who made all things, “and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3) . . . He who “upholds the universe by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3) . . . this same Jesus, in the hour before His greatest trial, looks towards heaven and says, “Father, I wish for them to be where I will be.” I get that we want to be with Him . . . I am amazed that He wants it as well.

What manner of King is this? That He would divest Himself of His inherent glory so that He might walk among His subjects. That He might submit Himself to His enemies so that He might die for His people. That He might, on the night before His death, express His desire less to rule over His own but that His own might enter into His glory. O’ what a Savior!

Is it too ego-centric to chew on the thought that I am on Jesus’ wish list? And, in so doing, consider afresh that it’s not because of who I am . . . or what I done? Nope, nothing in me that merits such favored desire of Him who is the Light of the World. But I meditate on this desire of Jesus as another indicator of the depths of the love of God . . . I sit back in wonder at the grace of God and the extent of the unmerited favor He wants to pour out on all who believe.

Maybe I’ll never look at a wish list the same way again . . .

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh . . . Come, peasant, king, to own Him . . . The King of kings salvation brings . . . Let loving hearts enthrone Him!