He emptied Himself - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Philippians 2:5-7

He emptied Himself
How easily and thoughtlessly we can say "He made Himself" (which is the literal translation). Are we really aware of what this meant for the Son of God? He is the One who is the "heir of all things" and by whom the entire universe was created (cf. Hebrews 1:2).
In Haggai's prophecy, the LORD of hosts says, "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine" (ch. 2, v.8). Yet as the humble, dependent Man He did not even have sufficient money to pay the Jewish temple tax.
In order to show His questioners that they owed the state taxes besides giving God all due honour, He had to ask for a coin to be handed to Him; He had none (cf. Luke 20:24). He who was exceedingly rich became poor on our account.
As the LORD of the Old Testament He could say, "Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10). Yet he had to borrow an ass to ride on in order to enter Jerusalem.
All the heavenly hosts stood at His disposal. When the armed company came from the nation's leaders to arrest Him in the garden of Gethsemane, He could have asked His Father to send twelve legions of angels to defend Him. Yet He didn't; He allowed them to bind Him and lead Him away as a prisoner. He truly emptied Himself!
Angels ministered to Him in the desert, while in the garden of Gethsemane an angel appeared to strengthen Him. But on the cross, no-one came to His aid. He accomplished the great work of redemption alone.
Today's reading: 1 Samuel 15