Leave The Exalting to God!
Does someone need to hear that wee little title, "Leave the exalting to God"? You have served faithfully over many long years and no-one (on earth) has said "thank you?" Perhaps other people around you have been acknowledged, but not you? People who have served less and for shorter periods of time.
But you? You've been overlooked.
Well this blog is for you.
In our meditation on The First Christian Hymn we have arrived at the hinge, the turning point. The base camp of suffering has been left and in one mighty leap we reach the summit of exaltation. Let's hear today's line carefully:
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
Who did the exalting?
So who did the exalting? "Therefore God exalted him." Jesus did not exalt himself, the Father exalted him.
This is a lesson for us, and for some believers a difficult one. We have a saying in English "Don't blow your own trumpet" which means pretty much what it sounds like it means: don't pat yourself on the back - which is yet another saying.
All his life Jesus endured suffering, but then God exalted him. His disciples did not exalt him, the crowds did not exalt him, God exalted him.
The gift of Encouragement
In this world we need the encouragement of others. We need folk alongside who will spur us on to love and good works. The desire for encouragement is not sinful or prideful. God the father said to his Son, "This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased..." We need people who will say thank you and well done. Not in any sort of terminal or final way, but so that we know we are on the right track, doing the right sort of thing.
The church needs Barnabases! When was the last time you said to someone "thank you for serving in ministry A," or "you blessed me in service B?" We should all be thankful and encouraging people.
It always strikes me that people are thanked only when they are gone - and presumably cannot hear those words. How odd! Who could you thank this week?
But we must remember that God alone exalts. One day he will say "well done thou good and faithful servant" and those words will be worth more than a red carpet, Oscar or an OBE.
Summing it All up
One day, soon and very soon, God will exalt all of his faithful servants. As the Master, so his followers. Let us look more to that day, than to any present disappointments or discouragements. Let us remember that only after this present life was finished, was Jesus glorified. In this life no house, no home, but in heaven, exaltation, his Father's Mansion and glory.
A SONG FOR THE DAY
Today a beautiful hymn about the condescension of Jesus. Sung in a cathedral adds to this one, found HERE.
My song is love unknown,
my Savior’s love to me,
love to the loveless shown,
that they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
He came from his blest throne,
salvation to bestow;
but men cared not, and none
the longed-for Christ would know.
But oh, my Friend, my Friend indeed,
who at my need his life did spend!
Sometimes they strew his way,
and his sweet praises sing;
resounding all the day
hosannas to their King.
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
and for his death they thirst and cry.
They rise, and needs will have
my dear Lord sent away;
a murderer they save,
the Prince of Life they slay.
Yet willing he to suff'ring goes,
that he his foes from thence might free.
Here might I stay and sing,
no story so divine;
never was love, dear King,
never was grief like thine.
This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
Samuel Crossman
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our gracious loving Father,
We worship you today and thank you that your Son has been exalted on high.
We worship him, too, our great and exalted King of kings and Lord of lords. And we worship the Holy Spirit, glorious in divinity and power.
We thank you that it is yours to lift up and yours to abase. We thank you that all judgement is yours and you have given judgment to your son.
Teach us that if we want to be exalted, we must be ready to be humbled first. And help us always to wait for your exaltation and your vindication.
We pray that you will encourage all your servants today.
We ask and pray these things in Jesus' Name
Amen
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