I can't believe it's August!

Looking at the archives and seeing only one entry for July gives you an idea of the crazy busy summer we have had. This has been the hardest summer, at least ministry wise, we have had in the 7 years we have spent in youth ministry. The pains that go along with a growing church and ministry, travel, late, late nights, early,early mornings, and taking care of our own 3 children have left us exhausted and drained.

I am learning that the best medicine for exhaustion and a spiritual cup that seems empty, is scripture. And so, the past couple of months I have read and re-read stories about Jesus. I am encouraged to read ab0ut times when his human body was weary from ministry, and his perfect, Godly spirit led him back to commune with his Father. It is a discipline that I have tried to imitate over the past several weeks.

Although I don't believe that this is a time in Jesus' life that he felt drained, it has become one of my heart's favorite stories about him.

"Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel he had around him."

John 13:1-5 (NLT)

There were many reasons that, by the world's standards, Jesus should have made any one of the men at the table wash his feet. Jesus knew that in a few short days, he would die a terrible death, not for anything he had done, but for the sins of all humanity. Isn't that reason enough to honor Jesus by washing his feet?

At this time, he also knew that he had spent the last years of his life pouring himself into these disciples. Loving them, teaching them, revealing God to them. If dying on the cross isn't enough, just honoring Jesus for all he had done for the disciples would merit a foot washing.

Jesus also knew that he had enemies and fairweather friends among the men at the table. Judas was to betray him, and Peter was to deny even knowing him. Jesus knew all of this ahead of time and still did not withold the love communicated by the act of washing their feet.

Probably the only one to ever understand this fully, Jesus knew that he was God. He was God on earth. He had authority and power, that came from God, over everything. He could have commanded anyone he wanted, dead or alive, or yet to be born, to come and wash his feet.

But he didn't. He made a better choice. He chose to ignore the omniscience he had as God on earth, and serve his disciples. He didn't pick a kinda' serving, but it won't be too bad job either. He picked the worst, lowest, grossest job there was to perform as a service to the 12 men. He made himself literally nothing so that the love and glory of God could be proclaimed through his actions!