A Life Worthy

One-a-Day Monday, 2/3/14

Posted on February 3, 2014 by michaelFebruary 2, 2014

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place… (Philippians 2:9a)

This is profound and utterly beyond me.

The word “Therefore” indicates to me that Jesus was exalted as a result of his obedience to the Father. Yet he was raised to the position that was already his—the position he gave up when he came to us as a man. Why could he not simply claim by right that which was his from eternity? I am continually amazed, not only by Christ’s power, but by his willingness to restrain that power. I have no doubt that, if I were in his place, I would not have waited for the Father to exalt me. I would have exalted myself.

Reason #42 to be glad I’m not God.

Waiting Room

Posted on February 1, 2014 by michaelJanuary 31, 2014

Last week my mother-in-law went in for a CAT scan to find out if months of chemotherapy and radiation did the trick.

I want to do this.

I don’t want to do this.

The parking lot is full—can we go home?

The waiting room is full—perhaps they won’t have time for me today.

Maybe the machine will break…maybe the lab tech will get violently ill from eating bad sushi and they’ll have to reschedule.

I want to know.

I don’t want to know.

I need to know.

When will I know?

I sort through magazines, looking for something

to divert

to distract

to entertain

as if anything could possibly hold my attention

except…it.

I’m surrounded by people.

I’m all alone.

Other people

not people

other patients

each wrapped in a cocoon

of symptoms

of sickness

of hope

of fear

What will they find with their

looking

and scanning

and probing?

If it’s gone, do I get my life back?

If it’s not, do I have the strength

to fight

again?

Everyone sympathizes.

No one understands.

and I am so cold

God, you have never seemed so close.

Or so far away.

One-a-Day Friday, 1/31/14

Posted on January 31, 2014 by michaelJanuary 30, 2014

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)

He didn’t have to die—you know that.

He chose to die, for reasons I still can’t fully grasp. I mean, I understand the basic theological concept of redemption. He who knew no sin, taking the burden of my sin upon himself, dying in my place to pay the price for that sin and restore my relationship to the Father. He took the punishment because—and here’s where my brain locks up—he thinks I’m worth it.

I hope he’s right.

I can’t wrap my head around the concept, but I can wrap my heart around it.

That’s enough.

Still, the whole thing is just so very not the way I would have done it.

And there you go, folks—reason #37 to be glad I am not God.

Thank you, Lord, that you were willing to pay the price I could never pay.

Thank you, Father, that it did not end with the cross.

One-a-Day Thursday, 1/30/14

Posted on January 30, 2014 by michaelJanuary 30, 2014

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to grasped, but made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:6-7)

He was perfect.

Complete.

He knew everything

Had everything

Was everything

Everything that has ever been was made with the thought of his heart and the breath of his mouth.

But he stepped down from all that into a broken world. A world of

Dirt

And pain

And tears

And blood

And death

For you

For me.

That is the attitude to which we are called, Beloved. We step into that same world today. We may know

Dirt

And pain

And tears

And blood

And death

For them

For Him.

Are you up to the challenge?

Me neither.

Let’s pray for each other today, Beloved.

One-a-Day Wednesday, 1/29/14

Posted on January 29, 2014 by michaelJanuary 28, 2014

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)

No pressure here—just have the same attitude as the Lord of the Universe. Tomorrow we will look at what Paul means by an attitude, “The same as that of Christ Jesus.” For today, just consider this: God has called you—commanded you—to be like him.

Chew on that today.

One-a-Day Tuesday, 1/28/14

Posted on January 28, 2014 by michaelJanuary 27, 2014

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

But they’re not.

Better than you, that is.

Seriously, isn’t it hard to consider others better than yourself when you know the way they live? When you hear the way they speak and see how they act? Does God really expect you to put…them before your own needs and wants?

Yep

One-a-Day Monday, 1/27/14

Posted on January 27, 2014 by michaelJanuary 26, 2014

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2)

Does it show?

Does your relationship with Christ have a visible effect on who you are in the world?

Does your fellowship with other believers reflect the fellowship you have with the Holy Spirit?

It should, you know.

Let that be the focus of your prayers this morning, as you head out into a week filled with people who are not as easy to love as Jesus is.

Go and love, Beloved of Christ.

A Real Grind

Posted on January 25, 2014 by michaelJanuary 25, 2014

Our garbage disposal died.

To fully grasp my sadness, you must understand that the garbage disposal is one of my all-time favorite household appliances. It has one, simple purpose—to eat—and it does that exceedingly well. It does not seek to glorify itself—no, it stays out of sight under the sink, bothering no one and taking up no precious counter space. It doesn’t need bright colors or fancy names or hand embroidered covers. It just wants to make my life better by consuming everything in the kitchen that annoys or disgusts me. Continue reading →

One-a-Day Friday, 1/24/14

Posted on January 24, 2014 by michaelJanuary 20, 2014

Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Philippians 1:27)

What will happen to you today?

Oh, you can probably guess a good portion of it, but you don’t really know, do you? Laughter, tears, love, anger, pain, joy, indigestion—who knows what the next hours hold?

Better question—How will you conduct yourself today?

Will your laughter be at others…or with them?

Will your tears be for yourself, or for the broken?

Will your love be selfish or selfless?

Will your anger be trivial or righteous?

And what of your pain?

And your joy?

Perhaps we need not elaborate on the indigestion.

Live worthy today, Beloved.

One-a-Day Thursday, 1/23/14

Posted on January 23, 2014 by michaelJanuary 20, 2014

For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

Is it?

Is your purpose, every day, to get closer and closer to Jesus? To bring him honor and glory with your every breath? To know him, and then know him better?

Do you look to the eventual end of your life as the fulfillment of all your earthly desires? The great graduation day when you receive all that you have earned, and all that you could never earn?

Oh, Beloved, I hope so.

As for me, I still let the mundane cloud my view of eternity far more often than I would like.

I’m going to make this verse my prayer today, with the hope that the power of the Holy Spirit will drive it deep into my soul and make it who I am.

Join me?