Monday Musings ~ Empty

I've been doing a study on Philippians this fall.  We are moving through the book VERY SLOWLY - as in we are still in chapter 2 on lesson 10!  It has been awesome, though, and truly wonderful to ponder all the wealth in this book.  In my Christmas frame of mind, I took great delight in reading chapter 2, verses 3 - 11.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When I think about Christmas, I really never get over the fact that Jesus chose to empty Himself - chose to leave heaven and enter our world.  He even chose to enter this world as an infant, growing up just as one of us - experiencing the same emotions and struggles yet without sin.  

It is the most extraordinary event in history.

God came near.

He humbled Himself.

We are told to have this same attitude of humility - this same lifestyle of servanthood - this same mindset of putting others first. 

This goes against everything that this world tells us.  

The 
                 ME FIRST

        SUCCESS AT ANY COST
                                                      DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO

SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO
                    
                                  BELIEVE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO
      
              TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO

                             AND BY ALL MEANS . . . YOU DESERVE IT AND ARE

                                                    ENTITLED TO IT

                                               PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE.

What did Jesus' humble, sacrificial life lead to?  Death . . . death on the cross.  

But ~~ that isn't the end of the story.

JESUS WAS

HIGHLY EXALTED

GIVEN THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

EVERY KNEE WILL BOW

EVERY TONGUE CONFESS

THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD

ALL TO THE GLORY OF THE FATHER

So, this Christmas, as you look at the nativity scenes with sweet baby Jesus in the manger -- remember that He gave up everything to be there.  Remember that He humbled Himself and chose to serve others.  Remember that this birth lead to a death - death on a cross.  Remember that this is the true gift of Christmas!

Because He chose to be EMPTIED -- we can choose to be FILLED

Now, that is a gift, indeed.