“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” Philippians 2:5

The life of a true child of God should be a continuous exercise of daily learning from the Lord. The moment we receive salvation we are enrolled in the school of God. To grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him who loves us and gave Himself for us should always be our objective. The excellency of His knowledge surpasses any other privilege in life. He said "Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Mt. 11:29), thus pointing us to the truth that the way to obtain rest is in carrying His yoke and learning of Him.

HIS WORDS

It is remarkable that the Teacher of all, who has left us an example to follow (1 Pet. 2:21), has Himself, during His earthly sojourn, taken the place of the learner. “Though he were Son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). Prophesying of Him the prophet Isaiah, records: "The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary …” (Isa. 50:4). His words were always words of grace, spoken at the right time, and achieving the purpose for which they were uttered. We also learn that the source of these words was the Father Himself. For as the Father has taught Him, so He spoke (Jn. 8:26-28). Christ could say to the Jews, "I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father who sent Me, He gave Me commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak …whatsoever I speak, therefore, even as the Father said unto Me so I speak" (Jn. 12:49-50). To the Father, He says in His high priestly prayer for the disciples, "I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me" (Jn. 17:8). Is it not marvelous that the Omniscient One has, in the days of His humiliation, taken the place of the Leamer? Such is the example that He has left us!
 

HIS PRAYERS

But how did He get to have the tongue of the learned? Isaiah continues saying, "He wakeneth, morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear like the learned" (Isa. 50:4). The awakening of the ear every morning speaks of the continual communion between the Father and the Son and refers to His perfect dependence seen in the private prayers of our Saviour. As this perfect dependant Man, we find Him seven times in prayer to His Father in Luke’s gospel. Luke speaks of Him as praying at His baptism before His work of ministry begins (Lk. 3:21) and when the fame of Him had spread abroad (Lk. 5:16) and also He "continued all night in prayer" (Lk. 6:12) before choosing His disciples. Then when there were those who did not understand the greatness of His person or His acts (Lk. 9:18) he was found alone praying. On the Mount of Transfiguration, when He appeared to Peter, James and John in His glory, He is again seen praying up in the mountain (Lk. 9:29). Just before He would teach His disciples how to pray He again is seen in the attitude of prayer (Lk. 11:1). Even before Peter denied Him, He had already prayed for Him that Peter’s faith would not fail (Lk. 22:31, 32) and lastly we see our blessed Lord in the garden of Gethsemane withdrawn from His disciples praying three times as He anticipated being made sin for us (Lk. 22:39-44). We read again of this moving event in the Book of Hebrews. "Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared" (Heb. 5:7). He closed His prayer with, "Not My will, but Thine be done" (Lk. 22:42). What an example of a perfect dependant life that brought delight to the Father's heart and that glorified Him here on earth! We might ask, how diligent are we in our prayer life? Before special occasions, in trials, at times of great acceptance, and in choosing our friends, do we look to the Lord in prayer? How fervent are our prayers? May the desire of our hearts be: "Lord, teach us to pray"(Lk. 11:1).

HIS OBEDIENCE

"Though He were a son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb. 5:8). Why was it necessary for the Son of God, who came down from heaven to do the Father's will, to learn obedience? Didn’t He in all eternity past have perfect fellowship with the Father, dwelling with Him in glory rejoicing in His love (Jn. 17:5, 24)? But no personal experience of suffering was His there. Yet coming into a sinful world He soon learned experimentally the suffering for righteousness' sake that was part of obedience to the Father. He chose to obey at the cost of laying down His life (Jn. 10:17). 

Faithful amidst unfaithfulness, mid darkness only light; Thou didst Thy Father's name confess, and in His will delight. - J. G. DECK, L.F. 230