Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11
I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Advent devotions where I pick up on Day 16. Here, John Piper uses Philippians 2:9-11 to describe God's Most Successful Setback. He starts by stating that "Christmas marked the beginning of God’s most successful setback. He has always delighted to show his power through apparent defeat. He makes tactical retreats in order to win strategic victories." Piper uses Joseph as the example for the devotion in how Joseph first became a slave then a prisoner. However, God meant it for good - Genesis 50:20. We don't understand how God works (Isaiah 55:8), but He is always at work on behalf of those who love God (Romans 8:28). Piper of course uses Jesus in the devotion as he writes: "[Jesus] emptied himself and took the form of a slave. Worse than a slave — a prisoner — and was executed. But like Joseph, he kept his integrity." This is where Philippians 2:9-11 comes into the devotion as Piper shares that Jesus' way "is God’s way for us too. We are promised glory — if we will suffer with him as it says in Romans 8:17. The way up is down. The way forward is backward. The way to success is through divinely appointed setbacks. They will always look and feel like failure." Instead of despair in the face of struggle and setback, we should look to Jesus' work on the cross and other examples such as Joseph for how God means it for good for those who love God.
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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves and who has never left or forsaken me and You have seen me through difficult periods - many times. Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You bless me. My sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
