Wednesday January 26, 2011
Theme: Rethink: Serving
Weekend Music links on iTunes: All to You - Lincoln Brewster, Today is the Day - Lincoln Brewster, Hosanna - Hillsong, I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin
Read: John 13:1-17, John 15:3, 1 John 1:6-7, John 17:15
Think: Jesus modeled service to others when He washed the feet of the disciples in the upper room. (See John 13:1-17). When he got to Peter, Peter said, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” He was implying that he is unworthy to have the Messiah wash his feet. But then Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” And John replies “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
I think part of our hesitancy about serving in church is that we think of ourselves as unworthy. We think of ourselves as sinners, and wonder what people in the church would do if they knew about our past?
Jesus addressed this very concern when he explained to Peter, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.” We have been bathed in the blood of Jesus and we are clean. (See John 15:3). But since we walk in the world and in the flesh, we need to have our feet washed on a daily basis. Jesus prayed for us in John 17:15, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” As we consider our worthiness to serve we have to consider the worthiness of Jesus’ sacrifice that delivered us from the evil one. Yes, we are sinners, but we are saved by grace and asked and empowered to serve.
Do: Ask Jesus to wash your feet each and every day.
Pray: Father, thank you for washing me clean when I received your son Jesus into my heart. Now, I thank you for forgiving my sins anew today and washing my feet, so I can have a part in your work in the world.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.