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Philippians 2verses 5 following, continue the challenge. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ.

We need to recall the words leading up to this verse. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ – if you have experienced anything of His comforting love – His fortressing love – if you have experienced something of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit – something of the tenderness and the compassion of God – be likeminded – having the same love – and being one is spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition – or vain conceit. Exercise humility.

Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Then, have the attitude that Jesus had – the mind of Christ – that way of looking at things.

It is an attitude and not an act.

Paul points us to Jesus. He was the Son of God – the Christ – the Messiah – the one who came to seek and to save the lost – but he did not consider keeping that equality with God – something to be grasped – something to be held on to – something to be clutched and never let go.

Jesus was not interested in his position – and this is a principle that runs through the Universe. He was willing to be a servant – he, our Saviour and Lord and King, came to be a servant – note the words used in this passage.

It was not an emotion but a decision.

He was made in human likeness. Here we see God revealing himself in Jesus.

Jesus became what God the Father wanted him to be, and that meant many changes. We can express this in various ways, but there came that day when God the Father said, “Son, it is time to go – down there – into that mess – where few want You – and Son, You will be rejected and crucified.

The Son of God obeyed. He was not going to cling to his heavenly seat and his heavenly position.

He did not grasp at keeping and holding onto what was rightly his.

We tend to be grabbers. We snatch at things. We like to hold onto our position. We like to be given our place, because we are insecure sinners.

Not so our Jesus! Everything that is true of Christ is true of God! And if we want to be like Jesus, we have to go through this process and have this mind and attitude.

Jesus Christ had no interest in personal position, privilege, or prestige.

He had no property. He had to borrow a boat – an ass – a tomb. Jesus renounced everything and came into this world in obedience to the Father, to love us and save us and rescue us from sin and hell.

What social position would we choose for ourselves? Jesus chose the role of a slave and a servant. He emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.

Jesus knew what it was like to be surrounded by angels and truly worshipped and yet in obedience to the Father he leaves all that to enter into the arena of strife and enmity and rivalry and hatred.

There even came that day when Jesus let go of the right to live. Most of us hold on to that with all we have got!

“Loving heavenly Father – as we come before You in Jesus’ Name – we are reading words which search our hearts and minds in a deeper way. We may have read them many times, but somehow You always seem to take us to another level – whether it be height or depth or breadth. Thank You Father – because when we know we are in the hands of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, we can trust You totally, as we move on in faith. Hold us firm and fast and secure.” Amen

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

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