WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY SEVEN - THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST - MARY PETTY
Philippians 2:5-11
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The glorious, majestic One who was with the Father before the world existed emptied Himself so that He might rescue us from sin and restore us to God. As He labored in Gethsemane under the crushing weight of what He was about to endure on our behalf, He prayed for us. He asked that we would be one with each other, as He is one with the Father, so that the world might know that He is the Son of God. It is the commandment that He repeatedly gave us: love one another. The most evident way to display that love is by treating others as more important than ourselves.
Jesus didn’t just tell us to do this, He lived His life as the very example of sacrificial love. He had every right to assert Himself and claim His rightful place, but He flipped conventional wisdom on its head by going low in order to be high. We sing songs about wanting to see Jesus exalted and lifted high, and He loves and deserves the praises of our lips; but He is also glorified by the obedience of our lives. Let’s go low by loving one another well so that we might lift Him high; then, the world might smell the sweet fragrance of Christ in us!
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal places of pride and selfishness. Repent.
2. Ask the Father to grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him so that you might catch a glimpse of His glorious majesty and brilliant beauty. It is as we gaze upon Him that He transfigures us into His image.
3. Thank Jesus for the freedom and privilege you have to speak His name with power and authority, the Name that is above every name!