Open Hands

Open Hands

Bible: Philippians 2:1-11

Reading

[Jesus] did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage (V.6).

Lots of us make lists of the stuff we want before our birthdays or Christmas. It’s how we let people know what we really want to be unwrapping!

While my hands are open and upturned to get presents at my birthday, when Jesus came to earth, His hands were opened not so He could get, but so He could give. Giving means letting go of something. In Jesus’ case, He let go of His position.

Some Bible translations talk about Jesus’ willingness to come to earth in human form as Him “releasing His grip” on His place in heaven for a time. He didn’t think of it as “a thing to be grasped” (PHILIPPIANS 2:6 ESV). If He had held tightly to His rightful position at God’s right hand (MARK 16:19), we would still be looking for our Saviour, instead of celebrating His “being made in human likeness” (V.7).

May our hands be open to receive what is ours, because Jesus opened His hands to give it to us. He places the gift of new life with God into our hands. It’s our amazing joy to unwrap it every day.

JESUS LET GO OF HEAVEN TO GRAB HOLD OF US.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries