We taught our children to obey God by obeying us.
According to what we understood of biblical obedience it was important that they obey...
1. immediately,
2. doing exactly what was asked of them, and
3. with the right attitude.
Now that last part is a bit tricky.
It's not usually that hard to make a choice or force yourself to move fast and aim high.
But to do what is asked of you with the right attitude?
Well, that's a completely different issue.
Attitude gets to the core.
It shows how you really feel.
Convictions and choices are revealed.
Our true desires become visible.
And that is precisely what grips me about this passage...
Have this mind among yourselves,
which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, ...emptied himself, ...
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5,8
These verses reveal the heart of our Lord Jesus. This is His "mind", that is, the true thoughts and feelings being revealed in actions. Let's look at what He did:
"emptied himself" >> Jesus chose to lay aside His position and privileges as God
"humbled himself" >> Jesus assigned Himself the position of a servant
The emptying and the humbling show us that Jesus was resolute. He was moving forward with purpose. This attitude led Jesus to the ultimate step of self-sacrificing love:
"becoming obedient to the point of death" >> Jesus fully submitted Himself to die
This was the level of commitment to the plan.
We see the heart behind the sacrifice.
Obedience to the Father's will was the ultimate goal.
And what was the will of the Father?
To redeem "a people for His own possession" (1 Peter 2:9).
Jesus bought us back to be His very own.
How can these truths lead us to praise and thank the Lord Jesus?
written by Gina
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