Bible Reading Plan | Devotion for the week of May 8, 2022

Weekly reading: Philippians 2; Exodus 29-32; Psalm 113-114
passages referenced: Philippians 2

The beginning of Philippians 2 starts off with an immediate encouragement of the faith. We see several times that if we are joyful and united in Christ, then we should be like-minded. This idea of being like-minded can be a difficult concept to understand at times. Jesus calls us to be holy and strive for a perfect and sinless life. However, we know this cannot be done ourselves because of our fallen, sinful nature. This call by Jesus may seem difficult, but it is a call to holiness that we as a church must claim and pursue.

Holiness is an attribute that has almost been forgotten in this day. Culture has forgotten what it is like to strive after the Lord, surrender all our earthly and human desires, and pick up our cross daily. Holiness is not just something you wake up one morning and think you may try out. It is a constant pursuit of growing closer to the Lord day by day, seeking out His path for you, and humbling yourself so that He may be lifted up.

Paul moves on to talk about how Jesus did not consider equality with God to be used for His advantage. It would have been easy for Him to use qualities that people did not have because of His sovereignty! Only a perfect Jesus would do that. This is the exact image Paul gives us to seek after. He explains how Jesus made Himself obedient to death, even death on a cross. Many different situations in the Bible illustrate humility, but Jesus’ life and death are the greatest examples we have. The perfect Jesus that came down, was born in a stable, and lived as a normal carpenter is the same Jesus that humbled Himself as low as He could and died the death that every one of us should have died.

It doesn’t end there! Paul goes on to explain that God then exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the highest name of all names. This is the Jesus we are running after, and He is the Jesus that calls us to be holy in an evil and dark world, throwing away our shackles and kneeling at His feet. May the call to holiness not only be a suggestion to you but a spiritual awakening at what the Lord has in store for you. – Parker Stewart