Daily Devotion, August 8, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Philippians 2:1-11.

For me, this is one of those Bible passages that sum up the whole book. It is a summary of what it means to be the people of Christ. Here is snippets of how Eugene Peterson translated the first five verses in The Message: “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life….Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends….Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead….Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.”

During our current sermon series, we are focusing on the joy that Paul emphasizes in this letter to the Christians in Philippi. Here is one way to put that emphasis as it relates to these opening verses of chapter two: We experience joy when a group of humble people serve in ministry together, not caring who gets the credit. I see it happen all the time at Christ Church. There are so many people here who have this humble servant Spirit about them. I see it in staff members, in other leaders of the Church, in people who have prominent roles in the community or in their job.. And when I see that Spirit of humble servanthood at work, I know that Christ is in our midst, that the kingdom of God is present. May we all seek to exhibit that Spirit not only among ourselves, but wherever we are each day. In other words, “Go be the people of Christ!”

Personal Worship Option:

Yesterday, I shared the first verse of a prayer hymn by Albert Bayly. Here is the last verse:

Called by worship to your service, forth in your dear name we go

to the child, the youth, the aged, love in living deeds to show;

hope and health, good will and comfort, counsel, aid, and peace we give;

that your servants, Lord, in freedom may your mercy know and live.