Wednesday, April 15, 2015

April 16, 2015

“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! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

We've all done something uncomfortable over these last few days when we wrote the check for our taxes, placed it in the envelope, sealed it and mailed it off to the I.R.S. But it’s not like we had a choice in the matter.

Jesus had a choice in the matter of surrendering His exalted position among the Godhead and subjecting Himself to a horrific death.

It must have also been very uncomfortable for His Father, God, to have allowed Him to suffer.

No parent is comfortable seeing his child suffer. Sometimes it is necessary for a parent to inflict some suffering on his child in the form of punishment. That, too, is uncomfortable.

If it was in my power to do so, I would spare my children from every painful and uncomfortable experience. It isn’t.

It was within God’s power to prevent His Son from discomfort of any sort. It is so hard to imagine that.

But He didn’t spare Him at all. That is hard to imagine.

Rather than use His power to save His Son from pain, God was more concerned about your pain and my pain. Can you imagine that?

Would you sacrifice the comfort and safety of your own child to spare the child of a stranger?

God did!

It would seem like a very uncomfortable choice, but it was His idea! Because of your sin and because of my sin God chose the uncomfortable option of sending Jesus to suffer.

Your world changed because God the Father and God the Son made uncomfortable decisions.

My world changed because God the Father and God the Son made uncomfortable decisions.

World-changers live outside their comfort zones.

Our world is in desperate need of change.

God is looking for some who are willing to be uncomfortable for His cause.

Will you be one!

Will I?

God help us.