The Standard That Humbled Heaven
God never wavers. His standard is Christ, for Himself and for us.
Devotional Credit:
In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit:
Unsplash
E. Stanley Jones reflects on the remarkable unity between God’s moral character and His expectations for us. He draws attention to Ephesians 1:11, which proclaims that God works all things according to the counsel of His will, emphasizing that His will is confined to the boundaries of Christlikeness. That is, God does nothing inconsistent with the nature and spirit of Jesus. Christ is not only God’s ideal for man but also God’s own standard for Himself.
Jones reminds us that God is not like unjust rulers who create laws for others but exempt themselves. On the contrary, God submits Himself to the same moral framework He gives to humanity. In doing so, He offers us a glimpse into a moral universe governed not by shifting whims or unequal scales but by consistency, love, and righteousness found in the person of Jesus Christ. The God who dwells in unapproachable light also steps into our world, bound by the very grace and truth He asks us to walk in.
This astounding reality unveils Jesus as the divine pattern. He is God’s way of acting under human conditions. He is not merely a picture of what humanity should aspire to. He is the visible expression of how God Himself behaves. God does not act in contradiction to Christ. He does not separate divine sovereignty from divine love. In Jesus, we see the unity of purpose between heaven and earth.
When we walk in Christ, we are not conforming to a distant ideal. We are walking in sync with the very life of God. As Jones puts it, to act in Christ is to act universally, with the very spirit that flows from God’s own heart. This realization humbles us and lifts us simultaneously. We are drawn into a relationship where God Himself upholds what He asks of us, and He has given us Christ’s very life to express it.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved, you never walk through a double standard. I have not called you to something I have not already lived and fulfilled in Christ. My will for you is found not in arbitrary commands but in the consistent grace of Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God. All I require of you, I have already embodied in Him. In Him I walked in humility, gentleness, obedience, and mercy.
I do not change. The standard I ask of you is the standard I maintain. I do not ask you to love without first loving. I do not ask you to forgive without first forgiving. I do not ask you to yield without first yielding. Every fruit I desire in you has its seed in Me. You are not left to imitate Christ from afar. You are united with Him. His life is your life. You are not striving to be like Him; you are bearing the expression of His indwelling presence.
I cannot act outside of Christ. I will not. Neither will I ask you to live apart from Him. You are invited not into performance but into participation. I have given you the Spirit so that you may walk as Jesus walked, not by effort but by abiding. Yield to Me. Trust Me. Let Christ’s life become the atmosphere of your every word and deed.
When the world around you fails to hold itself to its own rules, remember this: your Father is not like them. I keep My Word. I am faithful in all I do. And I have given you My very life to live accordingly.
Scripture References: Ephesians 1:11, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, Philippians 2:5–8, John 1:14, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4–13, John 14:10, 1 John 2:6, 2 Corinthians 3:5–6, John 17:22–23, Hebrews 13:8, John 15:5
Real-Life Analogy
Think of cruise control on a car. When it’s active, the vehicle maintains a steady speed regardless of the driver’s pressure on the pedal. The system doesn't override the car’s function. It cooperates with it to keep the journey smooth. Likewise, God’s moral universe moves with consistency. His Spirit never swerves or contradicts the standard He has placed before us. He has set Christ as the speed and direction—and by grace, we are carried along.
As you enter situations today that tempt you toward compromise, pause and remember. The Spirit within you is never in conflict with the Word. Let Him guide your response. If you're about to speak hastily or act out of frustration, surrender the moment to Him. You might whisper, “Lord, I yield this moment to You. Express Your patience through me as only You can.” In that trust, Christ's life flows effortlessly, just as the Father willed from the beginning.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, You have never acted outside the beauty of Christ. Every word You speak, every decision You make, flows from the same grace and truth You have poured into me. Thank You for revealing Yourself in Jesus. Thank You for not only showing me the way, but for being the way within me. Today I rest in the harmony of Your will and Your nature. I rejoice that I am not called to obey in isolation but to abide in Your Son, who fulfills all things through me. I walk forward in peace, knowing You will never ask me to be something You are not Yourself.