Spiritual Strength For Each Day
“He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:8-9).
At Bethlehem and at Calvary we see Jesus stripped of His glory. There is no majesty and no radiance visible in the child in the manger in that stable. He, at whose Word the universe trembles; He, who from eternity was worshiped and adored by innumerable heavenly beings, “humbled himself.” But it is here that the Lord causes us to bow our knees before Him in the dust. How great is He who was stripped of His outer majesty! We can only worship Him with all our hearts, because we recognize in the stripping off of His glory and majesty His innermost, hitherto veiled, nature. When Jesus says, “I am,” He is revealing to us His inner majesty, “…despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Do you see this casting off of His glory? He hangs there on the bloodstained cross, not only in inconceivable pain, but openly put to shame—a terrible shame! But see how, in the willing surrender of His glory, an indescribable radiance emanates from Him, the crucified One. He did it for you. He descended from utmost splendor to the depths of shame so that you and I could attain to eternal glory.
