Page 26 - Living Light - A Message of Joy!

Friday December 29 - Jesus exalted!
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name... Philippians 2:9
We have been looking at how Jesus humbled himself by serving and obeying God, even to suffering and death. Now we read that he is exalted as high as possible! Jesus chose to plumb the depths – but God raised him to new heights! God also gives him the Name to surpass all names, which is unimaginably powerful!
In the early church, Peter and John were arrested by the religious leaders for healing a lame man. When interrogated they said, “It wasn’t us; he was healed by the name of Jesus!” (Acts 4:10). As I write, two days ago a dear friend in our church was miraculously healed of incurable lameness – in the same name of Jesus – when a believer prayed for her over the telephone! Jesus’ name is still the Name above all names – from sickness onwards!
A man we prayed with recently was overwhelmed by depression. As he prayed, he just uttered the name “Jesus!” and immediately peace flooded through him and he was comforted. Of course, Jesus’ name is not a magic mantra that we use to right all our ills. God has exalted Jesus to the highest place and so we come to him in humble adoration: ‘hallowed be thy name...’ As the old prayer book says, ‘it is right to give him thanks and praise’ – let’s not give up doing so!
Lord Jesus, we honour you, for going through the deepest suffering on the cross for us; and we worship you – the Name above all names! Amen.
Saturday December 30 - True worship
...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth... Philippians 2:10
Paul finishes this wonderful description – of the humble, suffering Jesus, exalted now in the highest heaven and receiving praise from all of creation past, present and future – by referring back to a prophecy in Isaiah 45:22-23. The prophet speaks the words of God: ‘Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth... before me every knee will bow...’ Paul picks up this thought and relates it directly to Jesus as God.
At Jesus’ first coming as a weak baby, hidden in a cow shed, the poor shepherds and the wise men from the east bowed their knees. Paul now looks forward to Jesus’ second coming, when Jesus will return as a crowned king and be seen by everyone. Likewise, everyone – small and great, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile – will bow their knees to him. Revelation 5:13-14 gives us this picture of the vast crowd of worshippers, in heaven, on earth and under the earth. We can choose to join them right now as we bow our knees to worship Jesus. And we can also encourage everyone we know to come and worship Jesus now!
The musical style that we use in worship, the songs we sing, the movements we make (or don’t make!) are all very secondary to the focus of our worship, which is Jesus Christ himself.
Lord Jesus, I bow before you now. I pray for those who don’t yet know you; help me to bring them to worship you as well. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY