Philippians 2:5–8 - Taking on the form of a servant
Philippians 2:5–8
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Dwell:
Embrace this profound truth in your heart: the God of all creation - the eternal One who always was, God the Father, loving God the Son, in the presence of God the Holy Spirit from all eternity - humbled Himself and came down to earth to become one of us. His humility did not begin with His incarnation; it is intrinsic to His very nature. Christ is not merely a mirror reflecting God’s glory; He is the radiance itself, the source and essence of that divine glory.
One of our greatest challenges in grasping the enormity of what occurred lies in our skewed perspective: we often have a small view of God and an inflated view of ourselves. As a result, this monumental act may not seem like a big deal, simply because our minds and hearts struggle to make room for its profound significance. So, pause for a moment and reflect on the astounding act of love displayed in Christ - becoming man and ultimately going to the cross to die for us. As my 3-year-old would say, “That’s wild!” Sure, it’s unfathomable in one sense, but really there was nothing “wild” about it. It was a calculated act of grace from the very beginning and I think Jesus would do it again if you were the only person on earth. That is how much He loves you.
Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small. Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself. Because we want to rule, He came to serve. - Oswald Sanders
