«Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.» (Philippians 2:5-7, NIV)

Back in the carefree Sixties, a group called The Mamas and the Papas sang: «You gotta go where you wanna go, do what you wanna do, with whoever you wanna do it with.» It would be easy to say those lines sum up the Sixties, but frankly I think they sum up the standard way of life for many of us even today.

Even as we affirm our faith, we tend to go where we wanna go, do what we wanna do, with whoever we wanna do it with, yet the Apostle Paul taught the early church another song. In fact, it became a hymn, perhaps the first praise chorus among the congregations. They’d sing: «Our attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus, who emptied himself of all the things that come with being a king, and instead made himself a lowly servant ….» (That’s my paraphrase of Philippians 2:5-7.)

Here’s the thing – Christ had every right to go where he wanted to go, do what he wanted to do, with anyone he wanted to, but he laid those rights down in his costly service to you … (and me). Not to get too academic, but this passage is referred to by scholars as the kenosis, where Jesus voluntarily lets go of his omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience.

Think of it this way, Jesus agrees that he won’t go where he pleases (omnipresence); he won’t do as he pleases (omnipotence); and he won’t think as he pleases (omniscience). Instead, he’ll humble himself, going only where the Father tells him to go, doing only what the Father tells him to do, and thinking/saying only what the Father wants him to think/say («take thoughts captive»).

I look at that and I realize that I have an attitude about making my attitude the same as that of Christ Jesus. Lord, forgive me.

My friend, which song are you singing today?

What now?

· How would your daily destinations change if you went only where Jesus wanted you to go?

· How would your weekly behaviors change if you did only what Jesus wanted you to do?

· How would your thoughts be re-directed if you sent every thought to the feet of Jesus for his approval (or non-approval)?

 GRACE – Always keep before you the grace of God, that he is quick to forgive and willingly at work to transform you into the image of Christ. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.