Morning by Morning—Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays

Friday, November 01, 2019

Morning by Morning, November 1 - The Mind of Christ is a Heart of Humility

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...

"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should ben, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father" (Philippians 2:5-11).

To have the mind of Christ is to have a heart of humility. And a heart of humility is a heart of obedience and desperate dependence upon God alone.

Lord Jesus, Your life in the flesh is our model for life in the Spirit. We're to "follow in (Your) steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

You humbled Yourself to set aside the glory of Heaven to come into our world as the Son of Man, in the nature of man "being born in human likeness" and "being found in human form." We can't begin to comprehend that sacrifice. You suffering for us didn't begin on the cross, it began in the womb -- in the womb of a young woman named Mary when You were conceived by the Holy Spirit to live out a life in the flesh in our world (Luke 1:31).

You were tempted in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). You were confronted by Satan himself, yet without wavering (Luke 4:2). You were challenged to let the cup pass of the sufferings of the cross and all that would mean for You to take upon Yourself the sins of the world and pay our price, yet without resistance (Luke 22:42). You were humble and obedient, desperately dependent upon God the Father in perfect surrender to His will "to the point of death -- even death on a cross." All for us.

I know I don't have that depth of humility in me yet. I know my heart is not wholly surrendered to Your holy will yet. So I am desperately dependent upon You to make me more like You -- to "have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16), to "let the same mind be in (me) that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). But I do desire this, because I do believe You put that desire in our hearts, to desire to be like Jesus. "Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when He is revealed, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

In humility and faith, as best as I can and all by Your grace, I say, "Lord, let it be so." And I know as I seek to follow in Your steps, allowing You to Your conform my mind and my heart to Yours, as I humble myself in the sight of the Lord, You will lift me up (James 4:10), just as You humbled Yourself before the Father, and He lifted You up to give You the name above every name (Philippians 2:9).

As the Apostle Paul acknowledged, "Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind" (Philippians 3:12-15). And I am confident this, from the promise of Your Word: He who began a good work in me with be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, may you have the mind of Christ and His heart of humility, that God may lift you up and grow you up into the maturity of all you were created to be and fulfill all you are called to do, following in His steps, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Thank you for joining with me on this daily journey of prayer, seeking to begin each day embraced by the Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. I hope these prayers are a blessing and encouragement to you!