The Storyteller |
Let's walk today with Jesus into the Upper Room, the day He would face arrest, beatings, and ultimately the cross.
I want you to picture yourself as one of the disciples, sitting there, enjoying a meal with your best friends. Maybe Peter has just told a joke and you have your head tipped back, laughing. Then Jesus stands up, picks up a basin, fills it with water, sits beside you and washes your feet. Those crooked toes, bunions, toe jam, and stinky feet. They're dirty because you have walked through the filthy streets of Jerusalem in sandals to get here. But the soon-to-be Savior of the world, cradles your dirty feet tenderly in the hands that will be pierced by nails, and washes them clean. Do you speak as Peter did? "Never shall you wash my feet!" Then Jesus reminds you, "If I do not wash you, you have no part of me." Because we need Jesus to wash us daily. We need to cleansed of the sin, bitterness, greed, anger, worry, gossip, impatience, griping, and all the rest of the filth we accumulate in this life. So today, invite Jesus into your personal Upper Room. Let him sit beside you and cleanse you of all that makes you dirty. Then, pick up the basin to wash someone else's feet. "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." John 13:14-15 Jesus not only cleanses us of our sin in the Upper Room, he gives us a beautiful picture of serving. Our Lord, in His darkest hours, put out needs before His. We need to selfishly serve others. In our present situation, your serving may look different. Many volunteer opportunities are no longer available or in the best interests of our communities. Be creative! Your elderly neighbor might appreciate a phone call, the young family without work might love a carry out meal delivered to them, a friend who lives by herself may need a Skype or Zoom visit so she doesn't feel isolated. Put aside your own anxiety, boredom and frustrations, pick up the basin and serve someone today. "Therefore, encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
1 Comment
Angela Joseph
4/4/2020 06:54:02 pm
Well done, as always, Susan. Thank you for that reminder!
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AuthorSusan Lawrence taught elementary school for 33 years before hanging up her chalkboard to write and speak. She writes novels for both adults and middle grade children. Susan lives in Iowa with her husband and short-legged Lab, Molly. She has 3 children and 7 grandchildren who love to hear her stories. Archives
October 2021
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