Word for Today

"Scrolling Down"

Philippians 2:5–11

(Read responsively today)

⁵Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

⁶who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

  ⁷but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

  ⁸he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death — 

even death on a cross.

  ⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

  ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

 (All) ¹¹and  every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

As we come to the Sunday of Christ's Passion (also called Palm Sunday) we hear longer passages of scripture that require focus and a longer attention span. Attention span is a challenge for us today. So many fantastic distractions.

Even when writing emails, I try to write brief, so the reader doesn't have to be burdened with the need to "scroll down."

Today's passage from Philippians is a wonderful ancient hymn for the easily distracted. It quickly gets to the motive, the commotion, the emotion and the promotion of Christ. I believe we could say that when God highly exalted Jesus, God put the scroll down so we could focus and worship without distraction.

This photo is taken by Bo Løvschall of Denmark. It is of the "Hill of Crosses" in Lithuania

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

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