Introduction
This
Lent, we are joining forces with our friends at First United Methodist
Church, Wadesboro, Calvary Episcopal Church, and First Baptist Church,
Wadesboro to offer each congregation's unique perspective on the same
overarching theme. That theme is: Pause; Ask; Listen. As part of this
theme, we here at First Presbyterian are offering up a weekly
opportunity to pause what we are doing to read a piece of scripture, ask
a questions or two relating to our daily lives, and listen for the
voice of the Holy Spirit as a piece of music plays.
This week's
reading comes from Philippians 2, in which Paul invites communities of faith to be of the same mind as Christ and empty ourselves enough to let him help us make painful sacrifices if that it what it takes to follow God's will.
Scriptures
Philippians 2:5-11
5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death —
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Option 1
What thoughts, doubts, fears, etc. hinder me from being willing to follow Jesus to the cross?
Option 2
In times of trial, how can I resolve to be of the same mind as Christ and follow God's will while trusting in the great morning to come?