The Sacramental Life – Day 327 – Philippians 2:1-4 – Being United With Christ – Growing As Disciples
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)
Motivation
What is your motivation? I’m not sure that I know what you are asking me. What motivates the way that you think and speak and act toward others? That is a very good question that is causing me to evaluate my behavior. Do I think and speak and act out of my own self-interest? I am living to please myself? Am I listening attentively to others? Am I aware of what those around me want and need? I strongly suspect that you want me to ask and answer those questions, am I correct? You are correct. I will say this, I want to follow your example. I want to think like you thought. I want to speak like you spoke. I want to act like you acted. In every way I want to live as you lived. I could also say that I want to be able to know and do your will. Do you know why you have these desires in you? You are my Savior and Lord. Your Holy Spirit lives and dwells inside of me. I am united with you in living the new life that you have given me to live. Day by day you are molding and shaping my life. It is your purpose and plan to make me to be like you in all that I think, say, and do. You have answered well. You do have a band new life to live in me. I am molding and shaping your life. You are like clay in my hand. Will you keep on welcoming my work in you? Will you continue to live as I lived? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.
What will your new life that is united in me look like? I will do nothing out of vain conceit. Selfish ambition will not be the motivation of my life. I will treat others with tenderness and compassion. I will love others just as you have loved me. I will live in unity with others, being one in spirit with them, seeking to accomplish your common purposes. In humility, I will consider others as better than myself, so that I can serve them well. It could almost go without saying that I will look not only to my own interests but also to the interest of others. This is how living my new life in you will look. Living this new life in you will be my motivation. That will be very good.
Lord, thank you for giving me a brand-new life to live. Keep on transforming the way I think, speak, and act toward others. I humbly consider others as better than myself. I will look not only to my interests but also to the interests of others so I can serve them. Amen
Key Question… How has being united with Christ transformed your thoughts, words, and actions?
Living It Out… Allow your being united with Christ to transform the way you think and speak and act towards others.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that being united with Christ will transform the way you think and speak and act.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how your being united with Christ is transforming your life.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you be united with Christ and like-minded with Him.
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here
Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.
Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.
By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved Copying not permitted
