Day 21
Philippians 2:5-8 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
As we wrap up our fast together, let us embrace the call to join Jesus in His mindset and model. Another way this passage can read is, “Jesus: who BECAUSE He was in very nature God…” This means that the cross was not just the place where Jesus accomplished the redemptive work to which He was assigned. It is the place where God revealed His nature. God is love and that love is cruciform - shaped in and by the cross.
God is a lover of His enemies. He sacrifices for them at great personal cost. He creates ways to pursue them and draw them to Himself. He is the relentless hound of heaven. This is not just what He does, it is who He is.
And this is who He wants us to be. He wants us to be love. He wants our lives to be cruciform - shaped by the cross. He wants us to love and pursue our enemies as well. He wants us to consider adoption into God’s family as something not to be used for our own advantage. He wants us to take on the nature of a servant and humble ourselves. He wants us to wash feet - even the feet of one who may desire to sell us out to our enemies.
How in the world can we become these people? The answer is simple and difficult at the same time. I want you to think about this all day on this last day of our fast:
Christians are invited to live in a very sacred space, every day: the space between Good Friday and the Resurrection. At the same time, we join Jesus in His suffering for our enemies and we do so in the power, promise, and freedom of the resurrection! We can follow Jesus in His mindset because He is with us very powerfully as the resurrected Christ. The power of His resurrection beats in our chest and fuels our obedience - so that we can join Him on the cross for our enemies.
Jesus asks us to be His Body on the earth so that Jesus, through His Body, can continue to suffer on behalf of His enemies, in the hope that He can turn them into friends.
When God’s people get committed to and skilled at taking on the same mindset as Jesus and joining Him in His crucifixion, we will be an unstoppable force for His Kingdom. Our enemies will be transformed into our family and friends through the power of God’s redeeming grace.
Today, reflect on this:
Spend a few minutes visualizing the humiliation of Jesus - the laying aside of His glory for the sake of His enemies.
The key to our ability to practice that same mindset is to understand that we are in very nature God’s children. We are joint-heirs with Jesus! We are the King’s Kids. Therefore, we, too, can lay aside our glory and take on the nature of a servant. We don’t lose a thing - we only give away what God keeps giving us - LOVE.
Decide today how you will continue making space for God to work in your life. If it’s not the fast you’ve been practicing, what will it be? What new habits will you employ to keep moving forward in your faith?
Break your fast with Communion today and celebrate the great love of God expressed in Christ Jesus!