Having nothing yet possessing everything

Part of the spiritual gift of teaching is a strong desire to collect information so as to have it to pass along to others. While this means being good at trivial pursuit games and sharing household hints, its main purpose is knowing the will of God and the Word of God so well that cross-referencing and making connections is easy.

The downside or fleshy side of this inclination is collecting useless stuff. I noticed that last month. Some people collect spoons, or mugs, stamps, Avon containers, salt shakers, and all sorts of things that are displayed but without purpose. Today’s devotional points out that some “strive to get possession of certain experiences, some seek after ecstatic feelings, some try to make themselves rich in theological views and dogmas, some store up a long list of works done and results achieved, some seek to acquire illuminations or to accumulate gifts and graces” as if they will enhance their reputation with others and with God.

Paul wrote about events in his life and included his thoughts on collection/possession of stuff:

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:8–10)

Having nothing yet possessing everything seems like a contradiction. However, at this stage of my walk with Him, I’m beginning to understand. Having nothing means being emptying myself of all that I have, meaning my ideas, skills, wants, burdens, everything — so that I depend on Him for everything. That is, what I have has no value to me and can be released, set aside, useless to me and unable to fulfill any of my needs and certainly useless when it comes to help others or meeting their needs. Instead, He will supply. Paul means having nothing apart from God and relying on Him means I have everything.

Jesus lived by this principle. First He emptied Himself by being in the form of god but “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but made himself the form of a servant… and humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” He had nothing, but lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. Of this, He said: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) He applied this to knowing what we need to know: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) This means I can put information into my head but don’t need to dote on my ‘collection’ for it is the Holy Spirit who brings it out when it is needed.

Paul emptied himself and said of it: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8) He knew that loss was a gain for he also wrote: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) and pointed to this attitude with lines like:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, (1 Corinthians 3:21)

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

The Apostle Peter had the same attitude. When encountering a cripple beggar, He said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6) He later wrote: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3)

Not only does God want me to rely on Him but also remember that His supply may come through His family, not collections or any of my means or devices. He says, “All who believed were together and had all things in common.” (Acts 2:44) Being interdependent is one more way to empty myself.


PRAY: Jesus, You know how independent I can be. I can handle most things, and I do rely on You for much of that, yet tend not to rely on others very much (except my dear hubby) but this idea of having nothing yet possessing everything includes a willingness to be served as well as to serve. You graciously accept the offerings of Your people. I need to be more like You.

Subtle self-effort

Christians believe that we are helpless to earn or deserve our salvation or receive any mercy from God. Why then do we also say we must do this or that, as if we have the strength in ourselves to please God and live up to a Christian standard? The Galatians fell into this trap.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1–3)

I began my Christian life by receiving Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, but like the Galatians, I sometimes fall into this trap of trying to save myself from sin. It is subtle. I might think that because I have Christ, then everything that I do is in His power, but as the above verses say, I start thinking that the flesh is capable of trying to bring me to maturity. It cannot do it, but I will try.

 
The key is knowing the difference between the flesh operating in its own power and the Spirit of Christ motivating me to live for Jesus. At first, this seems plain; the flesh does sinful things like gossip and hate, envy and lies, and the spirit is kind, loving, full of truth and righteousness. But as I walk this path with Jesus, I am finding that the flesh is so determined to have some part in my salvation (so it can glory) that it tries to become very subtly involved in the process.

When this happens, I will spend a lot of time and effort to change myself, either in the way I think, or talk, or act. After becoming stressed over no change and being bombarded with temptations to keep on thinking, talking, or acting the same as always, I finally give up and say something like, “Jesus, You are the Savior; save me.”

Today’s devotional focuses again on the fact that God gave Jesus everything. It is to Him I must go for He is the source of all goodness and spiritual growth. Try as I might, all things were given to Him, not directly to me.

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. (John 3:35)

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (the Messiah), the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)

It isn’t that “all things” are unavailable. The Bible says all things are mine (1 Corinthians 3:21), but for the power and possessions of Christ to be released into my life, I need to stop trying to make it happen. Walking by faith is trusting Him to give me all that I need, just as He trusted the Father to give Him all that He needed as He walked this earth.

To be practical, this means saying no to self-effort and trusting Jesus to put godly thoughts into my head, edifying words on my lips, and loving actions into my life. While this can be intimidating, what vanity to think that I can do a better job of it than He can.