Sharing the Messiah's mind

Saturday, November 27
Devotions: Ps 104, 137:1-6; 144; Zech 14:12-21; Phil 2:1-11; Lk 19:41-48

Let my soul bless YHWH! Lord, You are covered with honor; You created and sustain all the universe, in its majesty and diversity—all life reflects Your genius and power. How manifold are Your works! And You created everything by the agency of wisdom, personified in God the Son. May Your glory endure forever, and may my soul always praise You, my Lord and my God! When God's people are in exile, we can become discouraged. But I will cling to God and trust Him, giving thanks in every circumstance. Let me hold Jerusalem as my highest joy! Blessed is YHWH my Rock, Who trains me for the struggles ahead. Lord, what are we mortals, that you regard us and think upon us? We are a passing shadow, yet the Almighty, the Eternal, takes counsel concerning us! I will sing a song of praise to You, my God. May our children and grandchildren be like growing, fruitful plants in Your garden. Fill our garners; keep distress from our streets. Happy are the people whose God is YHWH!

Zechariah prophesies about the awful plague that God will visit on those who wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh, their eyes, their tongues will rot even as they stand on their feet. A great panic will fall upon them, so that they massacre one another. Such a plague will fall on their domestic animals, too. Every survivor will become a faithful worshiper of YHWH. What endures will be named 'Holy unto the Lord.' Every pot in Jerusalem will be like a gold utensil on God's own altar! There will be no traders in God's house on that day.

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive in divine love, any participation in God's Spirit, any affection and sympathy, the let all Christians have one mind, one love, being in full accord and agreement. Each should look on the interests of one another as well as our own. We should share in the mind of the Messiah Jesus—Who, though He was in God's form, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped, but He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born as a human infant. Then He further humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept over the city. He said, 'Would that even today you knew what makes for your peace! But these things are now hidden from your eyes. Days will come upon you, when your enemies wil cast up a siege bank around you, and hem you in on every side, and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you. They won't leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.' Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold there, saying to them, 'It is written: "My house shall be a house of prayer." But you have made it a den of brigands!' Jesus was teaching daily in the temple, and the chief priests and scribes and principal men of the people sought to destroy Him. But they could find nothing to do against Him, because all the people hung upon His words.