Words of Hope Daily Devotional
Following Christ’s Example
Read: Philippians 2:5-11
Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (v. 7)
Human examples of surrendering to God, like the apostle Paul, Jonathan Edwards, and Jim Elliot, are wonderful. But the perfect model and example of surrender is Jesus Christ.
His coming to earth was in itself an act of surrender. Our reading today describes the humility that God showed by becoming human. Jesus continued to surrender throughout his entire life, for his top priority was to accomplish the will of God. Finally, he expressed his surrender in the ultimate way as he gave his life on the cross. He willingly and gladly gave himself up to bear our sins so that we can inherit eternal life. It is only because of Jesus’s sacrifice, his surrender, that we are saved.
Looking at the life of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels, what we see over and over is that he surrendered through the act of serving. As he himself put it, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45).
Since our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5 NIV), this is a lesson that we should apply to our own lives. Living a life of surrender to God means following Christ’s example. It means imitating him in our own acts of service to others.
As you pray, thank Jesus for his selfless acts of surrender, and ask him to help you follow his example.
About the Author
Jessica Heikoop was a writer and editor from Ontario, Canada. Beloved by her family and community, she died in 2013 at the age of 31.
The Foreshadowing Miracle
Read: John 11:17-44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (v. 44) Death can feel like
Grief to Joy—Life from Death!
Read: Luke 7:11-17 He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” (v. 14) What is it like to lose the person you most depended on? Your grief may be exceeded only by your loneliness, your loneliness only by your loss,
A Miracle of Transfiguration
Read: Matthew 17:1-9 Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead. (v. 9) When people think of the miracles of Jesus, they don’t usually think of the one in our reading today. That’s because
No Sign but Jonah
Read: Matthew 12:38-42 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (v. 39) When I read this exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees, I’m at
Miraculous Compassion
Read: Matthew 14:13-21 They all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. (v. 20) What is less fun than balancing a budget—at home, at the office, at church? The world shows
Claimed by Jesus
Read: Mark 5:25-34 She said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” (v. 28) Have you ever felt like the woman in today’s reading? Or do you know someone who has suffered much, spent all they have