Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Jeremiah 50; Philippians 2
Complete my joy – Philippians 2:1-11
Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, 2 complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. 3 Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. 4 Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. 5 Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:
6 Though he was in the form of God,
he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
7 But he emptied himself
by taking the form of a slave
and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God highly honored him
and gave him a name above all names,
10 so that at the name of Jesus everyone
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow
11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
Paul starts the letter to the Philippian church with a daunting task, ‘Complete my joy.’
For that is the reason why he started his mission and the reason he is in prison; for the Gospel.
He shares how he is content, but also wants to make sure that the mission he started continues.
Not only that will complete his joy, but also the joy of our Redeemer.
In order for us to complete that joy, we see how denying ourselves is important.
Living in an age, where we are encouraged to think uniquely, the call the ‘think the same way’ is difficult.
In an age, where we have so many things to love, loving what God loves is difficult.
In an age, where we see so much division, it is hard to imagine true unity.
Paul shares how denying ourselves is not only our call but the only way to make this possible.
And this call is the same for us, even though we live in a time that this task seems to be difficult.
Prayer
Lord, help us to carry our cross today. Help us to let go of ourselves and see you grow in us. In the name of Jesus, we pray, AMEN.
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