Philippians 2: 1-3 - If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Paul is so wise…to remind us about the model of Jesus…who walked in ministry for about 3 ½ years. It is recorded many times how he woke early to pray to his father…then he used the tenderness and compassion of the father’s love to serve others...many days late into the night. Jesus became the ultimate servant…and sacrifice for all my sins…even unto death on the cross. Paul is wise to remind us to be humble …to consider others more important than ourselves….to always keep our motives pure.
I have a confession…this is the battle I fight the most. I have been selfish most of my life…taking care of number one first. It has only been recently that I have really worked on this one…asking God to help me be more aware of others needs…to lessen my control of all the resources he has placed in my hands. It is a hard daily battle…to really be aware of others before I take care of me. It attacks me most in the arena of self esteem…I love to be patted on the back…to be told I am doing a great job…to hear praise from men is so uplifting. But God says that my praise should come from him…that I should always consider myself nothing….so that he can make me into something with his power…not the power of the world…of men.
Many of the great bible authors mirrored this advice. We find this great verse in 1 Peter 5:6, “ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” Or what about this one in James 4:6, “ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." And I love this one in 2 Chronicles 7:14 too, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Paul plus Peter plus James plus Jesus….who spoke this last of these verses straight to Solomon after he finished the temple…equal some great advice…advice I will continue to pray about and work on.
Father…I thank you for not giving up on me …for chasing after me with your wonderful love and continuing to speak to my very soul about how to live a more joyful …abundant life. I praise you for all you have given me and seek you this morning for clear directions of what you would have me to do for others…today. I thank you for telling Solomon how important it is to loves others...to seek you…to pray and humble myself….I thank you for all the others you had slip it a reminder later to help me review how important it is to be humble. Help me father to seek you for my pats on the back and not men….help me father to listen to…to fellowship with you every day…so my joy in YOU may be complete. Help me to continue to let go of myself…to empty me of all that holds me back from your service. Amen.
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