Philippians 2:1-13 (NRSV)
Read Philippians 2:1-13 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 2If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, Verse 2make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Verse 3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Verse 4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Verse 5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, Verse 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, Verse 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, Verse 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross. Verse 9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, Verse 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Verse 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Verse 12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; Verse 13for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Devotion
Some words just belong together:
Humility: Obedience. Fear: Trembling. Will: Work. Knees bend: Tongues confess.
One of the hardest assignments of my seminary career was for a class called "Confession and Forgiveness." Our assignment was to make a personal confession. Not just any old infraction, but something troubling the soul. Say it out loud. To a person. Someone you respect. Someone whose
forgiveness matters.
That lesson cost a lot. It cost humility to be obedient. It cost a lot of trembling to push through the fear. And it cost every ounce of human will-plus a little divine intervention-to do that work. My knees were bending all over the place as my tongue confessed. It was the most awful, most awesome release I've ever known. The power of it continues to shape my pastoral ministry today.
Some words just belong together: Confession: Forgiveness. Love: Peace.
Prayer
Teach me to love you, Lord and giver of life, that I might trust the call to surrender mine to you. Call me out from my hiding place, so that my life might shine the light of your grace on those who share this present darkness. Amen.