Week 44 Devotions

October 29 - - Christians are oftentimes called upon to humble themselves and do acts of compassion and kindness others simply will not do; whether it’s Mother Teresa and her fellow servants meeting the needs of the poor in Calcutta, someone cleaning the physically disabled, etc. Jesus showed how and why a Christian would be willing to be so kind. It was the last night of his life here on earth. Jesus is about to share the last meal with his twelve closest disciples. He “knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love” (John 13:1). It was the custom for first century Jews to provide a slave to wash the feet of one’s guests and visitors. Obviously, there were few roads and most were not paved. People wore sandals and by the time they arrived somewhere, their feet were dirty. But, even after spending over three years with Jesus, his disciples still debated between themselves as to who would receive the prominent seats of position beside Jesus in his coming kingdom (Mark 10:35-45; Matthew 20:20-28). And while everyone knew their feet were dirty, none of them thought of serving the others. So, Jesus did what the others were not willing to do. And, in humbling himself, he not only gave them “an example to follow” (13:15), but he also gave us an example to follow. Jesus was doing more than showing them the necessity of washing each other’s feet. He was showing them the importance of serving one another. Here’s how Jesus was able to do what no one else did. “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority and that he had come from God and would return to God” (13:3). In other words, Jesus knew where he had come from, where he was going, and why he was here. His worth was found in knowing those three things and not in what everyone else around him thought of him. And, when we understand, like Jesus, where we come from, where we are going, and why we are here, we will be able to do for others what Jesus has done for us, and what Jesus would do for others. We are created human beings, fashioned in the Divine image of the Almighty God. We are not the products of billions of years of evolution with our immediate ancestors being some monkeys. We were placed by God here on earth for the express purpose of reflecting His light and in the process bringing Him the glory all creation should give Him. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, which was the ultimate act of unselfish humility, we now have a place in heaven secured and prepared for us by Jesus (John 14:1-3). When we know where we’ve come from, why we are here and where we are going; we will also be able to do for others as Jesus has done for us. November 1 - - There are some truths in scripture we really don’t know the full meaning of and probably won’t ever know the full meaning of, until God reveals them to us in heaven (I Corinthians 13: 11&12; Deuteronomy 29:29). For instance, does anyone truly understand the concept of the Trinity, and how God can be three persons and yet only be One? God knew that our finite minds could never comprehend His infinite truths. Another difficult truth to wrap our minds around is the idea that Jesus Christ was fully human and fully God at the same time. There are times as God, when Jesus knew things that were going to happen before they ever actually took place. For instance, John tells us that Jesus already knew who would believe in him and who wouldn’t. Jesus also knew from the beginning of time which disciple would betray him (John 6:64, 70&71; 13:11). Jesus knew when he came to earth that while he inhabited this planet, the Father had given him authority over everything; that he would be able to command the waters to be still, the deaf to hear and the lame to walk (Matthew 28:18). Jesus also knew where he had come from and where he was going to (John 13:2). And as God, Jesus knew ahead of time, the horrors and the pain which awaited him during his trials and crucifixion. John writes, “Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him” (18:4). We also see that Jesus is fully human by his reaction to what he knew was soon going to happen to him. As he went to the Garden of Gethsamane to pray, he told Peter, James, and John, “my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). He left them to pray for him while he went a little farther to pray by himself. We are told that during this time, “he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). And in that moment, Jesus prayed, “if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.” Jesus was asking his father to accomplish our redemption any other way than what he knew lie ahead for him. Nevertheless, Jesus was willing to accept whatever the Father deemed necessary. “Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36; Matthew 26:39). Jesus knows what lies ahead for each of us in our lives, as well. And if he wants, he can send thousands of angels to protect us at any time (Matt.26:53). Sometimes he will and some-times he won’t. We must have the same faith in him that he had in his Father. God gives each of us the freedom and the privilege to ask anything we want in Jesus’ name (John 14:13&14; 16: 23&24,26; James 4:2). But, faith implies trust in the One who already knows what we need and when we need it and being able to honestly say, “Yet I want your will, not mine,” even as Jesus did. Are we able to do that in all situations?