Listen

Before the Festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them fully.

Jesus and his disciples were sharing the evening meal. The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew the Father had given everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God. So he got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.”

“No!” Peter said. “You will never wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t have a place with me.”

Simon Peter said, “Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!”

John 13:1-9

Think

The group of high school students had traveled to North Carolina to work on a Habitat for Humanity home build for Miss Mae. Miss Mae was elderly, frail, and in need.

On the night before they began their work on her new home, the youth group visited her in her current home. She had invited them over to get to know them. They arrived to the run-down, single-room home, and on the table were plates of cookies and pastries that Miss Mae had made for the group.

The group initially didn’t want to take from Miss Mae. But finally, she said, “Please accept them. I made them for you.” And together, they ate.

Peter didn’t want Jesus to wash the disciples’ feet. For Jesus to take on the role of a servant was unthinkable. But Jesus insisted. “You don’t know what I’m doing. But later, you’ll understand.”

In that moment, Jesus was reminding the disciples to trust him. Jesus’ actions were a promise, that through his death and resurrection, Jesus would restore and make clean the hearts of God’s people.

When have you been surprised by a servant action someone has done for you? Why is it so hard to accept when others serve on our behalf? How do we learn to receive the gift?

Todd Buegler

Pray

Dear Jesus, you journey to the cross, and you call me to follow.

I ask you to help me trust in you. Because your way has never been the way of the world. Yours is the way of the servant. Let me learn from this example and live in the ways you have shown us to live.

Lead me, Lord Jesus, to the cross that brings death, and to the cross that brings resurrection.

In your holy name I pray, amen.

Go

May God bless your steps as you make your way on difficult paths.

May God bless your steps as you navigate fear, guilt, and shame.

May God bless your steps as you seek new ways to follow Jesus.

May God bless your steps as you accompany the broken and those on the margins.

May God bless your steps as you experience new ways of bearing hope to a world in need.

May God bless your steps as you journey to the cross.