As the Day Ends
As Advent draws our hearts toward the mystery of God-with-us, evening is a fitting time to sit quietly with the truth that Christ came not only to save us, but to show us how to live. The words of Leo the Great steady us as the day closes: unless Jesus were true God, He could not bring us a remedy; unless He were true man, He could not give us an example. These two truths are not competing ideas but a single gift held together in love. As we turn to Philippians 2:5–11, we are invited to let the posture of Christ shape both our faith and our rest. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The day ends not with our accomplishments, but with His humility.
Paul’s hymn reminds us that Jesus did not grasp at equality with God, but willingly emptied Himself. The Greek word kenōsis (κένωσις) carries the sense of self-giving rather than self-erasing. Jesus did not cease to be God; He chose to express divinity through obedience and love. Advent calls us to linger over this truth. God’s remedy for sin was not distance, but nearness. God’s answer to our brokenness was not command alone, but incarnation. As the evening quiets, we are reminded that our discipleship flows from His descent before it ever reaches His exaltation.
Yet Christ’s humility is not only the means of our salvation; it is also the pattern of our lives. Jesus became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. In doing so, He showed us what faithfulness looks like in flesh and bone. We often long for divine intervention while resisting divine imitation. But Advent gently teaches us that the path of glory runs through surrender. When the day has been demanding or discouraging, we are invited to lay down our striving and trust that obedience—often unseen and costly—is never wasted in God’s economy.
This confidence is reinforced by **First Epistle of John 5:20, which assures us that “the Son of God has come and has given us understanding.” Jesus does not merely model humanity; He reveals reality. He is the true God and eternal life. That means tonight we rest not only in an example we failed to follow perfectly, but in a remedy that does not fail. Advent hope allows us to end the day honestly, without fear, because our salvation rests on who Christ is, not how well we performed.
Triune Prayer
Heavenly Father,
As this day comes to a close, I come before You with gratitude and honesty. You sent Your Son not from a distance, but into the midst of our weakness, and I thank You for a love that chose humility over force. I confess that I often measure my worth by productivity or approval rather than by my identity as Your child. Tonight, I release the unfinished tasks and the lingering worries into Your care. Teach me to trust that You are at work even when I am at rest. In the quiet of this evening, help me remember that Your purposes are not threatened by my limitations, and Your faithfulness does not depend on my strength.
Jesus the Son,
I thank You for walking the road of obedience that I could not walk on my own. You entered our humanity fully, showing us what love looks like when it is lived out in patience, sacrifice, and truth. I confess that today I have not always shared Your mind or Your humility. Forgive me where pride, impatience, or self-protection have shaped my responses. As I lay down to rest, I place my life again under Your lordship. You are not only my Savior but my example, and I desire to learn Your way of gentle obedience. Let Your peace settle my heart as I remember that You have already accomplished what I could never achieve.
Holy Spirit,
I welcome Your presence as the keeper of my soul through the night. Thank You for guiding me today, even in ways I did not recognize. I confess my need for Your ongoing work, shaping my desires and renewing my mind. As sleep approaches, quiet my thoughts and anchor them in truth. Remind me that transformation is Your work, not my burden. Breathe rest into my body and assurance into my spirit. Prepare me to rise tomorrow with a heart more attuned to Christ, trusting that You are forming me steadily, lovingly, and faithfully.
Thought for the Evening
Rest tonight in this truth: Jesus is both the remedy for your sin and the example for your life, and He holds you securely in both grace and truth.
Thank you for your service to the Lord’s work today and every day. May your rest be deep and your hope renewed.
For further reflection on the humility and exaltation of Christ, see this article from The Gospel Coalition:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/philippians-2-hymn/
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