July 1 Devotion - The Humbled and Exalted Christ

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

فَلْيَكُنْ فِيكُمْ هَذَا الْفِكْرُ الَّذِي هُوَ أَيْضاً فِي الْمَسِيحِ يَسُوعَ.

 ⁶ إِذْ إِنَّهُ، وَهُوَ الْكَائِنُ فِي هَيْئَةِ اللهِ، لَمْ يَعْتَبِرْ مُسَاوَاتَهُ لِلهِ خُلْسَةً، أَوْ غَنِيمَةً يُتَمَسَّكُ بِهَا؛

 ⁷ بَلْ أَخْلَى نَفْسَهُ، مُتَّخِذاً صُورَةَ عَبْدٍ، صَائِراً شَبِيهاً بِالْبَشَرِ؛

 ⁸ وَإِذْ ظَهَرَ بِهَيْئَةِ إِنْسَانٍ، أَمْعَنَ فِي الاِتِّضَاعِ، وَكَانَ طَائِعاً حَتَّى الْمَوْتِ، مَوْتِ الصَّلِيبِ.

 ⁹ لِذَلِكَ أَيْضاً رَفَّعَهُ اللهُ عَالِياً، وَأَعْطَاهُ الاِسْمَ الَّذِي يَفُوقُ كُلَّ اسْمٍ،

Philippians 2:5-9 

Many of us wish and strive to be Christ-like. We learn from the above scriptures that Jesus was obedient, humble and loving. He loved us and died on the cross in our place, to offer us the opportunity to be forgiven, redeemed and declared righteous in the eyes of God, by accepting Him as our Saviour and declaring Him as Lord over our lives.

Humility is sometimes misunderstood.  I understand that when God says we should be humble, to mean we should be free from pride and arrogance. Humility means to me that we know that in our flesh we are inadequate, yet we also know who we are in Christ, we are able to walk humbly in the power of God’s Holy Spirit, not our own personal power.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and love.  Help me LORD and give me wisdom and teach me to be Christ-like, through the Holy Spirit. Help me to be humble and ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of my mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.’ Ephesians 4:29 Strengthen me Abba Father to ‘get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, and slander, along with every form of malice’. Teach me to be kind and compassionate to others, forgiving them, just as Christ God forgave me.’ Ephesians 4:31-32. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

لاَ تَخْرُجْ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِكُمْ كَلِمَةٌ فَاسِدَةٌ، بَلِ الْكَلاَمُ الصَّالِحُ لِلْبُنْيَانِ الَّذِي تَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ الْحَاجَةُ، كَيْ يُعْطِيَ السَّامِعِينَ نِعْمَةً.

انْزِعُوا عَنْكُمْ كُلَّ حِقْدٍ وَنَقْمَةٍ وَغَضَبٍ وَصَخَبٍ وَسُبَابٍ وَكَلَّ شَرٍّ.

 ³² وَكُونُوا لُطَفَاءَ بَعْضُكُمْ نَحْوَ بَعْضٍ، شَفُوقِينَ، مُسَامِحِينَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً كَمَا سَامَحَكُمُ اللهُ فِي الْمَسِيحِ.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein