As we approach the celebration of the Incarnation, God the Son becoming human, let's reflect on what happened in heaven before that blessed event.
In Philippians 2:5-7 we read, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus who although He existed in the form of God." (NASB) Jesus, being God the Son, is equal to God the Father. Because of this, He had every right to remain in heaven. He did not have to leave and miraculously be born as a human. Yet, He did not hold onto this right but gave it up in order to obey His Father and to redeem us. In doing so, He put Himself in a position to depend upon His Father in heaven and in Him to live, minister, die on the cross and be raised from the dead. As a human, though He would still be 100% God, He would never once depend on His own deity to do one miracle or live one moment. Another way of understanding what Jesus did is that He gave up all of His rights to live as God the Son.
We are exhorted to have this same attitude or "thinking" in our own lives. God wants us to surrender our rights we are holding on to, to Him. For example, we all want to be loved and accepted, especially by certain people. That desire is from God. However, it is very easy to turn that into an expectation and then a right. Once we believe it is a right, if we do not surrender it to God, it puts us in bondage because we become disappointed and angry when a person does not come through for us.
There are many other rights that we need to surrender to God. How do we know what those rights are? Usually when we feel afraid or angry, that is like the "check engine" light in our car. It lets us know there may be a right God wants us to surrender. We need to ask God about that and see what He shows us.
Here is a suggested prayer for surrendering our rights. "Father, just as Jesus, who lives in me, surrendered His right to stay in Heaven and live as God so He could become human, I surrender my rights. I surrender the right to ________________ (Fill in the blank with each right the Holy Spirit shows you to surrender.) Having surrendered this right, Father is there an exchange you want to give me in its place? (Wait a few moments and listen to the Lord for each right you surrender.) Thank you Father. I receive that gift from you as an heir to one of my blessings in Christ Jesus. Amen."
Surrendering rights is not a one-time event. Throughout our lives, we will need to surrender our rights to God, some of them over and over. We will experience much more peace and freedom as we do so.
May your Christmas be bright as you surrender your rights to God even as Jesus, Who is our Life, did before being born into this world!
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding
