April 2 Devotion - Humility

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.

Philippians 2:7-8

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

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

Being made in the likeness of man, Jesus laid himself as low as possible laying aside the brilliance of His glory. He took upon Himself human form assuming the lowest character, that of being the servant of all. He accepted to die for us, and He accepted to die the lowest and most disgraceful kind of death, the death of the cross; the punishment of the meanest of criminals.

What must sin have been in the sight of God, when it required such humiliation in Jesus Christ to make atonement for it, and undo its influence and malignity! (Adapted from Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.)

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.

Humility frees us to love and serve others selflessly, for their sake, rather than our own. 

Today (according to the most widely used Gregorian calendar) marks the day before the crucifixion of Christ. The night of the ‘last supper’. The night Jesus humbled himself to do the work usually done by a servant in those times, He washed the feet of the disciples (instead of vice versa)

¹² So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

 وَبَعْدَمَا انْتَهَى مِنْ غَسْلِ أَقْدَامِهِمْ، أَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ وَاتَّكَأَ مِنْ جَدِيدٍ، وَسَأَلَهُمْ: «أَفَهِمْتُمْ مَا عَمِلْتُهُ لَكُمْ؟ ¹³ أَنْتُمْ تَدْعُونَنِي مُعَلِّماً وَسَيِّداً، وَقَدْ صَدَقْتُمْ، فَأَنَا كَذَلِكَ. ¹⁴ فَإِنْ كُنْتُ، وَأَنَا السَّيِّدُ وَالْمُعَلِّمُ، قَدْ غَسَلْتُ أَقْدَامَكُمْ، فَعَلَيْكُمْ أَنْتُمْ أَيْضاً أَنْ يَغْسِلَ بَعْضُكُمْ أَقْدَامَ بَعْضٍ. ¹⁵ فَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ لَكُمْ مِثَالاً لِكَيْ تَعْمَلُوا مِثْلَ مَا عَمِلْتُ أَنَا لَكُمْ. ¹⁶ الْحَقَّ الْحَقَّ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ: لَيْسَ عَبْدٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ سَيِّدِهِ، وَلاَ رَسُولٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ مُرْسِلِهِ.  

¹⁷ فَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ قَدْ عَرَفْتُمْ هَذَا، فَطُوبَى لَكُمْ إِذَا عَمِلْتُمْ بِهِ.

John 13: 12-17

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and inseparable love. Lord Jesus, thank You that You humbled yourself to die in my place and to grant me the forgiveness of my sins. Jesus, You became a servant for my sake to set me free from the bondage of sin, selfishness and conceit. Jesus, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can be humble as You are humble and to love others freely and graciously. Teach me Lord to be ‘kind and compassionate to others, forgiving them, just as Christ God forgave me.’ Ephesians 4:31-3  I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I pray in His Holy Name. To Him be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein