Foot Washers Needed

"Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During the supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash. except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13:1-15

Most Christians know this story. Some have participated in feet washing activities, and realize how humbling it is to have your feet washed. They also realize how powerful it to wash someone else's feet. I have participated myself and know both experiences.

A little history lesson, the custom of the day was to wash the feet of guests. People wore sandals and it was a dusty place. People's feet would be covered in dust, be hot, and tired. The washing of the feet would remove the dirt, cool the feet, and make tired feet feel better. The host of the house would have servants or slaves wash the feet of the guests. Just from a customs' standpoint, Jesus was not the host of the house where they were having supper. Therefore it was not His job to see that the feet were washed, let alone wash the feet Himself. Yet He washed their feet.

Jesus still does this very thing in our lives today.

Our parents may range from wonderful to bad to people who should have never had children. Regardless, of where they fall on the continuum there are things that they should have done for us that they didn't, couldn't, or just wouldn't. We are left with hurts and gaps in our lives. Jesus knows what should have been done for us, and He comes into our lives and does for us what we didn't get.

This can be true in any number of relationships: spouses, siblings, friends, teachers, bosses, co-workers, almost anyone who has even a little significance in our lives. There are many ways that these hurts, holes, and hot spots may have gotten into our hearts and minds. But Jesus can step into anyone of these areas and does the work to wash away the hurt, fills the holes, and soothes the heat out.

Some of us are like many of the disciples who allowed Him to wash their feet. We let Him in and let Him heal and fill the holes in our lives. Some of us are like Peter, and we think we are doing Him a favor by not allowing Him access. It takes Jesus telling us that if we don't let Him then we have no part of Him for us to allow Him to wash us, heal us, and save us.

But it doesn't end there. Verse 15 tells us that He was an example for us and that we need to follow His example. If He is a part of us, like He said to Peter, then we must allow Him to use us. He gives us opportunities to wash the feet of others by being for them what they need. He tells us to give them something, serve them, pray with them, feed them, etc. no matter how dirty, smelly, or even demeaning the job may be. When we have the opportunity, we must be like Jesus. We need to do the job that may not have been ours to do, but He has given us the opportunity to do. We need to be willing to be feet washers.

Butterfly Transformation

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

When you become a follower of Christ you start a process that, hopefully, will continue throughout your life. It is a process of transformation. The process of being transformed from our old, sinful life to becoming more like Christ. The end result of this process is indeed good, but the process certainly doesn't feel good most of the time.

It is very much like becoming a butterfly. We start off the process as a worm looking, caterpillar. Caterpillars are ugly. They crawl around eating leaves. Their movement is slow. There are few people who get excited about seeming a caterpillar, but I believe God loves seeing us in the caterpillar stage. He knows that we don't stay caterpillars.

The next stage of our transformation is in the form of a chrysalis, many call if a cocoon but it is a chrysalis. While in the chrysalis the caterpillar's tissue is broken down and the butterfly body forms. It doesn't seem like much is happening at this stage but big change is actually happening. During this time the caterpillar/butterfly is fragile. It has no way to see danger coming and can't protect itself. The chrysalis is so important to keep the it safe from the elements and from attack. The breaking down process that we go through is hard, painful and we often do not understand it. Thankfully we do not go through this part without protection either. God wraps Himself around us and will not allow us to be destroyed by the anything.

As hard as that stage is the next one is the hardest. This is the stage when the butterfly has to struggle to break free of the chrysalis. It still seems as if nothing is happening and then the chrysalis starts to shake. It is shaking because the butterfly inside is about to emerge. The butterfly struggles to break free and gains strength in the struggle. As a matter of fact, if you try to help the butterfly emerge you will actually kill it because it never gain the strength to use its wings. This is the hardest stage for us as well. We seem to be going along turning from a yucky caterpillar to a butterfly when it becomes time to break free of the protective chrysalis that God has put around us. It's not that He removes his protection from us, but He does want us to break free of the old us. He allows a time of struggle to help us break free of what we used to be to become who He has planned us to be. This struggle helps build strength in us, His strength.

Then it is a butterfly. Its wings need to dry from the fluid from the chrysalis. It only takes about an hour and then the butterfly is able to fly. We have a time after we break out of our chrysalis that we need to wait to fly, but when it's time to fly we take off like the butterfly. God has such a good plan for each of us and He wants us to fly into it.

This transformation has recently taken place in my life and just today the Lord told me that my wings are dry and it's time to fly! I have no idea, really, of where the flight will take me, but I am looking forward to the journey! I know that there will be more caterpillar to butterfly transformation times in my life, but it's okay because I also know "that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

God Is the Shield About Me and the Lifter of My Head

"But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head."
Psalm 3:3

Have you ever seen a shield? Well, if not in real life, have you at least seen a picture of one? There have been round shields, long oblong shields, wooden shields, metal shields, and SWAT team shields. Shields were flat until someone figured out to make them curved. Even the best shield available doesn't do what the shield mentioned here does.

You see we fight against an enemy who will attack us from every area. He stabs us in the back through relationships. He attacks our thought life. He pokes at the soft spots in our hearts. He has no problem going for the Achilles heal or the jugular. A typical shield just can't protect us from all of the ways he can attack. Instead the Lord is this shield that goes about us. He is able to wrap all the way around us, covering us from any possible attack.

What an amazing, comforting assurance! Too bad there are times that we don't stay within the shield. I understand stepping out of the protective surround and opening myself up to satan's attacks. I have just spent some time, much too much time, letting him smack me around, letting him attack my mind and my heart. I didn't even realize that was what I was allowing. All I knew was that I was sinking into a endless pit of crazed thoughts and flailing emotions.

The other day, I came to realize that the problems I was facing were not just a "me" issue. I realized it as I was getting ready for the day and I couldn't even lift my head to look at myself in the mirror. The other part of this verse came to my mind, "and the lifter of my head", and I knew that something was very wrong. So, I did the only smart thing possible I went running to God and asked Him to protect me. He showed me the spiritual attacks that I was being assaulted with and I took authority over them in His Name.

Two things quickly became true: I felt my very being surrounded by the protection of the Lord and I was able to lift my head. I went back to the mirror in my bathroom and looked myself full in the face. I was able to smile and know that God's shield was wrapped all around me.

This verse comes from Psalms and specifically one that David wrote when running for his life from his own son. David's life shows us that satan will attack and that he is trying to kill and destroy us. He tries to destroy a man after God's own heart, and he will try to destroy each of us. The other key word from the this verse is the first one "But". Satan will chase us down and try to kill us, But God is our shield. Satan will try to shame us to the point that we can't even lift up our head, But God is the lifter of our heads. Remember that no matter what attack satan throws your way, But God and trust in Him to be the protector you need and the lifter of your head.

The Difference the Trial Phase Makes

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

This was the verse that came up today on the app on my phone. It seems to be following a trend of verses that God has exposed me to in the last few days. It's one of those, "I know that you are going through something, but I am taking you through. Don't give up!" You know those kind of verses?

When I am going through rough times, whether they are challenges that others can understand or ones that no one seems to comprehend, I need these verses. The ones that remind me that there is an end and there is a promise. Most importantly it's a verse that lets me know He is with me.

I can admit that there are times when verses like this make me angry. Deep in the midst of the trial, when the challenges seem to be killing me, this kind of verse frustrates me. I wish that it didn't, but I have to be honest that it does. God know exactly what I need to hear and when, and He knows how I will react when I see it.

A few days ago, when a similar verse popped up on my phone app, I was angry. I didn't want to hear it. When I read the verse today my reaction was quite different. Today I saw it for the promise that it is, the promise of an end, a reward, and His presence. What's the difference?

The difference is where I am in the trial. When I am in the right place of the trial, the healing, then I can accept a verse like this. God doesn't stop making the promise just because of where I am though. He is ever present. His promises are always true and they do not waiver. I waiver. I am changing. I sometimes live in the past or the future, and ignore the present. Thankfully, God knows all of that and His Word is always true.

Know that He knows where you are in the trial. He knows how you will react to His Word. He knows when it is too hard to believe and when it is easy to believe. Keep reading His Word and know that He will always be with you!

From Dead Leaves to Blooms

"O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit." Psalms 30:3

This is a double lavender impatiens that was all but dead since I got it. My sister-in-law received it from a student. Unfortunately, it is a shade plant and her yard is not shady. Mine, however, is very shady. I brought it home and hung it from a branch on my dogwood tree. It would received all the necessary shade to grow. But it didn't.

I watered it, picked off the dead leaves, and made sure it was in the shadiest spot under the tree. But it was dying. It got to the point where there were only three very sad stems sticking up with no more than eight leaves between them. I was ready to give up and through it away. Then the weather changed.

The days got cooler and the sun was less intense. I noticed that it was gaining leaves, so I decided to see what happened. Now it has a few flowers and buds! It's October and it was close to death and now it thrives.

Our lives can be just like this flower. We can be in the right place, getting feed, and pruned, but be close to death. Some will look at us and think, "Throw her away. She's dead!" Others may decide that even though we look dead they'll wait until we are good and dead to throw us out. Thank God, He knows that we aren't dead.

He knows that we are going through a death process, a process that the bad is being removed from our lives. It looks ugly, feels dry and withering, and leads to thoughts of just giving up. But God knows that there will be a change in our weather. He knows that the right conditions are coming. Once they come we start to grow. We start to bloom. We start to flower. Others look at us in amazement and shake their heads wondering how we survived. 

It's simple really, the Lord restored our lives from the ones that go down to the pit. Trust Him and His timing. He knows the seasons of our lives and He knows that our Spring is coming. 

Feel Like Dying Grass

" 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was preached to you." 1 Peter 1:24-25

This verse come up on the app on my phone today. I read it twice, because it touched me. I found such comfort in it.

As we all know, grass dies and flowers only last for a season. The verse says all flesh withers and falls, dies. It would be easy to focus on the fact that we die, to think that it is hopeless. But the verses don't end there.

It goes on to talk about the fact that the word of the Lord remains forever. Jesus is the Word. He reigns forever.

I don't know about you, but I tend to get stuck on the first part, the dying part. Maybe it's a dying a season in my life, okay maybe is the wrong word. I am going through a dying season. The old, ugly parts that God wants to remove is clinging on, but I trying to pry it's fingers off and send it packing. In this stage I feel like dying grass, I feel like I am withering. I guess that's because I am. I feels like a bad thing, but it's not. It is a necessary thing; no matter how painful.

Then I need to focus on the second part of the verse. Through the whole process, the dying, Jesus remains. He is always with me. He loves me right through the dying process. He reminds me that I am not alone, that He will never leave me. Knowing that truly is the good news. He id the Word and He is the Good News!

Unknown Blessings and Honor

"For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:12

The other night my Bible study group was going through John 1-5 and noticing all that John wrote about who Jesus is. He is the Word, He is the Light, He is the Living Water, and so much more. One story that we focused on was when Jesus turned the water into wine.

We talked about why He did it. One of my friends mentioned that He was honoring His mother. I never thought of that. Jesus did tell her that His time had not come yet, and I would take that as a "no". But He turned the water into wine anyway.

The story also goes on to state that the servants were the only ones who knew what He had done. Then the master of the feast goes to the bridegroom and tells him that unlike others he has saved the best wine for the last. It was the custom to serve the cheap wine well into the celebration, after everyone is good and drunk. But Jesus turned the water into wine and raised the bridegroom's status in Cana.

We have no idea who this man was. We don't know his standing, but it had to have increased with the wine that Jesus provided for him. The best part is he didn't even know that Jesus had done it. Only the servants knew. He must have wondered how it happened that his best wine was saved, yet we know that it wasn't.

I have to think whoever this man was he was a righteous man. God blessed him through His Son and gave him favor. Sometimes we are blessed by God through ways that only He can make happen. He gives us favor and we don't even know how He made it happen. We just need to keep walking in His way and He will bless us and honor us, even when we have done nothing to bring it to pass.