We spend a lot of time asking ourselves how we can best serve God. But Jesus suggests that it might be wise to ask another question.
And that question is, how can Jesus best serve us?
Peter was struggling with the very idea of having Jesus serve him. Allow Jesus to wash his feet?! No way!!
Peter wanted so badly to serve! And the most likely rationale is not difficult to understand: Jesus is God. Why should he serve me? He is the one who ought to be served!
Many times we operate on this same rationale. And it's not as if it's a poor rationale. But it does leave out something critically important.
Jesus himself came to serve. And he came to serve us. But that does no good if we are constantly trying so hard to serve Jesus that we forget how to be served by him.
The grave danger here lies in a misplaced emphasis. And the danger is that we turn our faith, which is all about receiving grace, into a religion that is all about doing works.
Here are some questions for you:
- Have you been taking time to pray daily, and ask God to help you, to shield you, to meet your needs?
- Have you been consistent in attending church so that you can hear of Jesus' love for you, Jesus' forgiveness, Jesus grace and mercy?
- Have you attended the Lord's Supper recently, so that you could be served with Jesus' true body and true blood, and be reconnected and reconsecrated to your Savior and to your fellow believers?
Yes, it's important to serve and honor God. But it's of first importance to be served by him! Rest assured, your Savior Jesus loves nothing more than to serve you and share his blessings with you.
After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” (John 13:5-9, NIV).
Our Bible reading for Friday, May 22, is 1 Samuel 10:9 - 12:25, John 12:37 - 13:17, and Psalm 66:1-12.
Lord Jesus, I need you. I need you every day. I need you every hour of every day. Please watch over me, defend me, protect me, forgive me, and show me your grace and mercy. Wash my feet, and my hands and my head as well. Wash my very soul! Cleanse me from every sin and every shameful act. Serve me, Lord Jesus!
Header image based on "dirty feet" by James Theophane, CC By 2.0