MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL
Devotion for Maundy Thursday April 9, 2020
Topic: An Example for You
Text: John 13:1 – 17
Feet
were usually washed before the meals according to the custom of the people in the
East. But Jesus waited till the time of supper (John 13:2) to make the act
stand out as noteworthy. Jesus knew that he could take a servant’s role without
losing anything (John 13:3).
The
purpose of this action was to fix in the minds of His disciples at the nature
of true greatness. This could be traced to the event in Luke 22:24 – 30 when
the disciples were in dispute over who was going to be the greatest in the Kingdom.
Jesus had taught them that greatness in the kingdom comes through serving
others (Matthew 20:26-27), but they had not learned the lesson. Thus, He gave
them this unforgettable illustration.
According
to Brunner, “When a man turns to God
desiring to serve Him, God directs his attention to the world and its need.”
Have you realized this truth that serving others is also serving God?
At
first, Peter rejected Jesus’ foot washing (13:6-11), which pointed toward
Jesus’ cleansing work on the cross. But when Peter saw that this foot washing
was symbolic of cleansing from sin, he requested to be washed from head to feet.
He misunderstood Jesus the Messiah’s servant role and therefore his own role as
disciple.
In John
13:10 Jesus came back to the literal point. The spiritual point had already
been understood. They were already clean. Jesus was also
showing His disciples what it meant to serve; what it meant to be great in the
kingdom of God. The challenge in John 13:15 is for us today. Are you serving
God in others?
Food for Thought: “When a man turns to God
desiring to serve Him, God directs his attention to the world and its need.”
Memory verse: John 17:15
Prayer:
God teach me humility and service for humanity in Jesus name.
