Wordfilled Wednesday

Instead of a wordLESS Wednesday, I wanted to have a WordFILLED Wednesday. Here is a verse the Lord has put on my heart lately:

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.

Philippians 2:5-8

What amazes me about Christ and His life is the fact that He wasn't a "super-hero" savior. He didn't come in live this amazingly exciting and glorifying life and conquer the Romans in the sense that one would expect. Instead He - God incarnate - came to us as a plain man, lived an incredibly humble life, and then... died. And died in a way that was so UNglorifying - nothing like you'd see in action movies where the hero goes out in a blaze of gunfire and excitement. He died in a way that was considered a curse, despised, reserved for only the lowest of the low. He was mocked and abused, but worst of all, He was rejected. Certainly not what one might expect from the Savior of the World! Surely our hero would be handsome, popular, win everyone's hearts, show his power by killing a few bad guys, save the day, and ride off into the sunset, and everyone would cheer, right? How I love the paradoxes of God's ways!

As I go through my day to day life, striving to serve Him, I keep this scripture in my head, and think... am I being humble? Am I being obedient? Am I emptying myself for His service and those around me? Or am I trying to be loved by man, showing my "power", and focused on perserving my life and my image? Do I realize the awesomeness of God, or am I trying to somehow grasp an equality with Him?

Lord, I pray that you would daily help me carry my cross - to die to pride - to acknowledge You as Lord and sovereign over all things... and to obey humbly in all things, emptying myself for You. Thank you Lord, for your precious Son!