Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Phillipans 2:6-8)
As I read that this passage, I am again blown away by the love You have shown for me. I can’t comprehend how You could not consider equality with God something to cling to. I would have grasped it and held on to it for dear life. I probably would have couched it in religious terms and said something like, “I need this power to help people…” But You experienced equality with God for eternity and didn’t consider it something to be grasped or held onto. Instead You emptied Yourself and, fully knowing what you were getting into, You came here and became one of us.
The unbelievable thing is, You did it for us. Or even more unbelievable, You did it for me. I focus so much on the cross (and rightly so) but You had already shown Your love in giving up heaven to come here and suffer with us. And You did it all before I did anything of worth. You gave up heaven knowing how I would reject You and knowing all my filth. You didn’t test me to see if I was worthy. Your love went first. You proved Your love long before I ever even thought about responding.
What really stretches the powers of my comprehension is that You consider a relationship with me to be more important than equality with God… I am more important to You than being in heaven with Your Father. I am more important to You than Your comfort. Wow, how can I treat our relationship so lightly when it is that important to You? Lord, help me remember today how much You love me. Help me respond throughout this day in that kind of love.
