Reflection: The companion of freedom
Today’s passage is from the beautiful and famous Christ hymn from Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. It’s a famous declaration of freedom underpinned by humility and purpose. Jesus is in very nature God, but instead of using equality with God for his own advantage he humbled himself for us.
We always have the freedom to do any number of things. But true and beautiful freedom begins with humility. Being humbled to what God would have us do enables us to deploy our freedom for his higher and greater purposes, just like Jesus.
Are there areas in your life in which you need to humble yourself, perhaps giving up something that you want, to do what God wants?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you have given me so much freedom and so many choices. Help me not to be driven by self-interest in the use of my freedom, but to humble myself before you – as you did for me on that cross, through your Son. May the use of my freedom always be cloaked in joyful humility before you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.