Jesus was a sort of bond-servant to God - He served God above all else. What does it mean that He emptied Himself? Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. Even though He was God, He left His home and came to earth. He didn't lose His identity as divine, since we know He experienced temptations but was still without sin. He endured ridicule from some and suffering on the cross, knowing that He was God's Son and that He had a greater purpose to be a part of God's plan - to save His people.
How can we have the attitude of a bond-servant, like Christ? Christ served God first, no matter the cost. As believers, we've acknowledged our need of Him and received His grace. We now seek to serve Him first, but we can still struggle. Trip Lee offers encouragement in this arena, from his song, "We Told 'Em" -
"So we know that He's great, but we don't reflect Him well,
So when we told 'em that He saves, it was hard for them to tell
So it's time to live this thing, in light of the God who reigns
Let's not try to cause Him pain, show them a pic of the God who came."
Lord, thank You for showing us amazing grace. Work in us and help us put You first in our lives. Help us be a changed people, people who are a better reflection of You. Amen.
"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" (Colossians 3:23).
For a reference on being a bond-servant to Christ, see Paul's note in Galatians 1:10.
Verses from the New American Standard Bible.
Study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).
Hear Trip Lee's song, "We Told 'Em," on YouTube here.
