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Intention

To do that which God Himself has done – to limit ourselves in loving, humble submission and to go into all the earth.

Scripture

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.”

– John 1:1, 14, 18

Reflection

In John 1, we see how God clearly demonstrated His love for us: by freely choosing to limit Himself.

From the very beginning, He confined Himself to His Word. He was, is, and always will be the God of all truth.

“God bound Himself” to fulfil His Word, Hebrews 6:17 (NLT) assures us, so that we “could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind” and break His promises.

As the God of purest light and truth (1 John 1:5), He must be faithful to His Word “because it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18). He can do no other; He cannot go against Himself.

Incredibly, God freely chose to limit Himself even further: He took on human flesh. Through the words of the prophets, God promised the coming of a King – Jesus Christ – God as man (Isaiah 9:6).

Pause for a moment and let that sink in: God Himself, in the form of a man.

What a great mystery that the God who created everything would willingly step into His broken world, confining Himself by taking on a human body, and living in one place, at one time, as a man.

Why? To show us the richest form of love ever known – undeserved, sacrificial love.

1 John 4:9 says, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”

We can learn much from Jesus’ humble example. Jesus bound Himself to a lowly frame and chose to pour out His portion of majesty so He could reveal the Father to a perishing people.

It was His self-limitation – binding Himself to human flesh – that allowed the matchless love of God to be revealed on that blood-stained wooden cross.

We are also called to constrain ourselves and refuse the way of our flesh. We do this by saying “no” to our selfish desires and the meaningless pursuits of this world. Then – and only then – can we truly go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18).

What this has meant for me is that the LORD has, at times, called me to reduce and even completely cut out screen time. Each time, I’m challenged to lift my eyes from temporary, fleeting things and re-prioritise my life around that which holds infinite value – Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Other times, He has called me to limit food (fasting) or even turn down good opportunities so that I can re-centre my heart to be “always ready to give an answer to everyone who asks me the reason for the hope that is in me” (1 Peter 3:15). Sometimes, these constraints have even opened up more time and opportunities for me to share His good news with a friend or stranger.

Let’s follow Jesus’ example. Let’s intentionally and freely choose to bind ourselves to God’s Word. In obedience to the Great Commission, let’s go into all the world to make disciples of all nations and advance the message of the victory of the Lamb!

As Harvest beautifully sings it:

“LORD, let it not be said of me I withheld anything from You!”

Video

Prayer

Q: What are you saying ‘yes’ to that is restricting your ability or availability to share God’s Word?

Q: What do you need to limit in order to make disciples more effectively?

Thank You, Jesus, for revealing the Father to us in faithfulness to God’s Word. Thank You for Your undeserved, sacrificial, great love displayed through self-limitation.

Help us set aside anything that hinders us and bind ourselves to Your Word, so that the world may see the Father through us.

Teach us what to say ‘no’ to, so that we may always be ready and available to give a reason for the Hope that is within us.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Author Bio

Joelle Cullen is a doctor at Hervey Bay Hospital, Queensland, where she also completed her final years of study. An active member of the Canberra Declaration, Joelle is passionate about seeing the next generation of young people arise and run, by the power of the Holy Spirit, into the fullness of what Jesus won at the cross.

Prayer Points for GO Month to Pentecost 2025

1. Five friends to trust in Christ and to share the gospel with those five in May. Matthew 28:19–20

2. Repentance, revival and reformation in Australia and for millions to believe in Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47

3. A Church that grows in extravagant love for God and people. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

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