Life Poured Out v
John 13:1-17; 13:31-35 (CEV)
Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples
13 It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.
2 Even before the evening meal started, the devil had made Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, decide to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God. He also knew that the Father had given him complete power. 4 So during the meal Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 He put some water into a large bowl. Then he began washing his disciples’ feet and drying them with the towel he was wearing.
6 But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied.
“If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.”
9 Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.”
10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”
12 After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said:
Do you understand what I have done? 13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am.14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16 I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.
The New Command
31 After Judas had gone, Jesus said:
Now the Son of Man will be given glory, and he will bring glory to God. 32 Then, after God is given glory because of him, God will bring glory to him, and God will do it very soon.
33 My children, I will be with you for a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, “You cannot go where I am going.”34 But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.
A bowl
and a towel,
what is he doing?
That is the servants job.
A bowl
and a towel,
kneeling at our feet,
washing gently,
softly.
A bowl
and a towel,
removing the dirt,
ingrained from the journey;
the dust,
kicked up around us;
soothing,
cleansing.
A bowl
and a towel,
drying,
softly,
wiping the drops of water
in the same way
one would dry tears.
Gently,
dabbing,
comforting,
loving.
A bowl
and a towel,
restoring my feet
from the journey so far,
preparing them
for the journey to come.
A bowl
and a towel.
He ministers to me.
He doesn’t wait
for someone else to do it,
he doesn’t need me
to care for myself.
He kneels
and pours out his love for me.
A bowl
and a towel.
I thought I didn’t need it,
need him to do that
for me.
But I did.
I needed
his love,
his touch,
his care of me.
And he needed to do it.
A bowl
and a towel,
such love
poured in that bowl,
gently swabbing my aching body.
He did that for me.
A bowl
and a towel,
a symbol of how I should live,
in humility,
sacrifice,
service.
A life of giving,
doing,
soothing
and gently drying.
A bowl
and a towel,
Lord,
as I allow you to minister to me,
may I in turn
minister to others,
in your love,
through your life,
poured out
for each one of us.
Pam's Perambulation 