Philippians 2:8: “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.”

June 23rd, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

We, like these Philippians, are tempted to think God’s power is only to keep us or get us out of difficult circumstances. We don’t realize it’s something that helps us to daily endure our pilgrim journey of life. Paul was reminding them that his Roman imprisonment still displayed the power of God, just as Jesus’ death on the cross displayed God’s power.

The idea of Jesus being “obedient to the point of death” is not so much that He had to die (although He did) but more that He chose to die in our place. D. L. Moody used to tell the true story of the days when the gold fever swept California:

A man went west leaving his wife and their boy in New England. Soon he struck it rich and sent for his dear ones. The wife’s heart leaped for joy. Taking her boy to New York, she boarded a steamer sailing for San Francisco. The ship had not been out at sea very long before there was a cry of “Fire! Fire!” On board was a powder magazine and the captain knew the moment fire reached that store all on board would perish. Lifeboats were launched, but they proved to be too small and too few and were quickly overcrowded. As the last boat pushed away, the mother began to plead with the boatman to take her and her boy. “No, I dare not take another.” But she continued to plead, and at last the boatman consented to take one. Do you think the mother leaped into the boat, leaving her boy to perish with the others? No, she seized him, gave him one last hug, and dropped him into the boat with these parting words, “My boy, if you live to see your father, tell him that I died in your place.”

Since Jesus chose to die in our place, we need to die to our own plans and accept His.

“LORD, we chose to follow You this day, so show us Your way through life and walk with us we ask in Jesus name.”