"This Glory of Love"

During our journey from new birth in Christ until our departure from this present world, the Holy Spirit works to replace the self-centered control of our flesh with the God and others-centered character of the Lord Jesus.

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2-3-8).

When pondering things for which to worship and adore our Savior, His sublime life of unselfishness provides a lifelong and eternal source of wonder. He was tempted by selfishness "in all points," as declared by the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 4:15). Never once, however, did the Lord Jesus succumb,being "yet without sin." As one who has sadly been both tempted and succumbed again and again, I find this truth about our Lord to drive me to my knees and to my face again and again.

Certainly,the Lord Jesus was and is God. However, He lived His earthly life as a man led and enabled by God -"The Son can do nothing of Himself... "I live by the Father" (John 5:19; 6:57). His temptations were thus real. They were felt. They challenged His human faculties, senses, and physical frame. Overcoming them involved the sacrifice of momentary pleasure that sin offers (Hebrews 11:25). And, in a human life of more than three decades, our Savior overcame every temptation to the selfishness of sin offered by the world, the devil, and the flesh.

We've all known people who live in a consistently unselfish manner. It's a beautiful thing. Only One, however, lived an entire lifetime in perfect devotion to God and others. "Beautiful" does not begin to describe this glory of love. Nor are further words necessary or wise. Let us rather bow head and heart, and if physically and circumstantially possible, bowed knees are also more than appropriate to accompany the acknowledgement of so wondrous and unselfish a Savior.

"The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)