July 9 Devotion - The Humbled and Exalted Christ

 

Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], ⁶ who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; ⁷ but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. ⁸ After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on 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 

 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 can 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, please help me, 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. Thank You Father for Your abundant blessings and Your deep, unfailing, inseparable, and everlasting love for me.

In the holy name of Your only begotten Son Jesus, I pray to You Father. To Jesus be the power, the glory, the majesty, and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein