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Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
“Lord, humble us gently.” That is one of my friend/s favorite prayers. I like it, too. But thank God Jesus was not gently humbled. While I hate he had to go through agony, his self-emptying humility was stark, bold, drastic, and outrageous. But I am to have this same attitude when it comes to reaching God’s lost children.
My Prayer…
God, you are all powerful and yet you emptied yourself to redeem me. May I be more selfless in my attitude and treatment of others, more like Jesus is with me. In Christ’ name, I pray. Amen.
Bible References
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8
In your relationships with one another have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!
It is important here to distinguish between Christ’s “positional” and “personal” equality with God. As to His Person, Christ always was, is, and will be equal with God. It would not be possible for Him to ever give that up….it is who He is (John 1:1-4). But “positional” equality is very different. He was positionally equal with His Father in heaven enjoying all the glories and splendor that is there. However, when He saw the lost estate of mankind, He did not grasp and hold on to His position, He gave it up willingly to take on the form of a man and come to this sin-sick dying world and offer Himself up as the final sacrifice for sin. When we place our faith in His bloodshed for the forgiveness of our sin, we become joint-heirs with Christ, and will spend eternity with Him in all the glory and splendor that is heaven!
Jesus could have come to this earth in a very high and mighty fashion, He was certainly deserving of that status! But He came as a servant, from the very start of His time here, being born in a stable, into a lowly carpenters family. He did not come to be served, but to serve a lost people such as you and I.
I don’t think we will ever truly understand how it must have felt for Him to take on human flesh. And then to come to a place where He well knew He would be horribly mistreated and rejected by many of the very ones He was coming to save. No one “took” Jesus’ life from Him, He laid down His life for us. He allowed mankind to nail His precious, sinless, holy body to a wooden cross and be suspended between heaven and the earth that He created. He has an amazing amount of love for us!
What must the angels have thought as they witnessed His pure and innocent blood flowing down that cross, flowing down to make atonement for your sin and mine? I am quite sure they wanted to wipe out all of the cruel people that were mocking and taunting Him. Praise be to God that Jesus stayed on that cross and finished the mission that He was sent on to redeem us and bring us eternal life. Have you thanked Him today for all that He has accomplished on your behalf? No one will ever love us as He does. He is so very deserving of all the love, honor, and praise that we could ever give Him.
Thank You Jesus for loving me, for dying for me, and for ever being with me. I love You so my Savior, my Redeemer, and my Prince of Peace. I give You all honor, glory and praise this day, Amen!