Daily Devotion, November 25, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Philippians 2:5-7.

These verses along with verses 8-11 are understood to be one of the earliest hymns for Christians to declare who Christ is. Altogether, these verses form a word-picture of Christ’s pre-existence with God, his humble life in incarnation and his final exalted status. These verses were memorized and repeated in prayers and worship together. It is believed that this was a commonly understood hymn even before Paul wrote his letter to the church at Philippi.

With that in mind, Paul is bringing forth this magnificent hymn to encourage the people of the church to live truly in Christ. In the verses previous to these, he summarizes by saying, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Paul says to have the same attitude as Christ’s attitude. “Christ, who was equal with God, made himself nothing and took the very nature of a servant.” Christ set aside his infinite powers for the finite powers of humanity and not only that, but took upon himself the nature of a servant.

One commentary said that Paul was not asking them to imitate Christ, but to live in Christ. Dr. Morna D. Hooker says, this literally means, “to show among yourselves the attitude that arises from the fact that you are in Christ”.

Christ relinquished rights and privileges which could have been his. Instead, he chose to be with us in our suffering, with us in the crosses that we bear, and with us through the grief and sorrow we experience.

Paul is saying “become humble” to be with others who are suffering. I like the way that my New Testament professor, Dr. Polhill defines humility. “Humility is the realization that one’s relationship to God is wholly dependent upon God and God’s grace.” Is the way of humility possible? With God’s help, it is. Personal Worship Option: Loving and gracious God, help us to have a better understanding of what it means to be humble. We often are “proud to be humble” or err on the side of “false humility”. Help us to remember today that we are wholly dependent on You and your grace. Help us as Paul writes “to not only look to our own interests, but to the interests of others and to have the mind which was also in Christ.” Amen.