Tuesday, February 10, 2026

The devotions this week are written by Lisa Liou. Lisa is the founder and executive director of All Gen Movement, a Christian ministry dedicated to healing the generations and renewing the Church. She previously served over 20 years with InterVarsity, most recently as Regional Director in the Western US. She is married to Jeff, an ordained CRC minister, and together they live in Monrovia, CA with their two teenagers.

Philippians 2:5-11

5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, 10 so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Today we continue our reflections in Philippians 2, with an emphasis on verse 7. Here we learn that Jesus emptied himself and took on the form of a slave (other translations say servant) and put on human likeness or form. In other words, he became flesh and for God to become flesh when he did not have to was to willingly become a slave to humanity.

This is an astounding trajectory. Christ, who sat with the Godhead has not only released his equal status with God by emptying himself of full access to his heavenly riches, status, and position, but makes his way to humanity by becoming a baby, born to live and die for all other humans.

There is a renowned Anglican Christmas carol that depicts the journey well, “God who wast rich beyond all splendor, all for love's sake becamest poor.”

If we were plotting this trajectory on a graph, it would look like Jesus’ stock has plummeted. But that is through our human eyes. Just as we saw yesterday, we are “graspers.” It is hard for us to see the beauty in something becoming less-than it was. All our models are for more and better.

But Jesus defies the knowledge of men when he displays the wisdom of God. His self-emptying sacrifice is the ultimate love. The scripture makes it clear. His Father did not force him to do it. He had agency to release, then empty, then embody something very uncomfortable and inconvenient in the name of love.

Let’s take a moment to pause and invite God to speak to us. Yesterday, we put out our hands in clenched fists and then asked God to show us what to release. Maybe you need to do it again today.

What does your heart want? How are you tempted to grasp or strive for that thing? When you are ready, turn your palms up and open in a posture of releasing and receiving. Ask God if he has any better invitations for you than the one you have planned for yourself.