All of Him for All of You
All of Him for All of You
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent.
Read: John 13:1-9
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. [2] During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, [3] 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, [4] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. [5] 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. [6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” [7] Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” [8] 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.” [9] Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (ESV)
It’s hard not to identify with Peter in this story. The King of kings, ruler of the universe, and Savior of the world bows down to wash your feet. My first reaction would be the same - “No way! Don’t do that!” Of course, Jesus would reply, I have to wash your feet or you cannot be acceptable to God. Then I would reply, “Don’t stop with my feet! Wash my body, mind, and soul!”
Something changes in Peter’s perspective. He sees that the only way to have some of Christ is to have all of him. You can’t be partially washed, you have to offer up everything. One of the easiest things to do in your relationship with God is give him part of your life. Here God, you can have some of my time, some of my goals, some of my treasure, some of my relationships, but don’t take all of it!
The more you surrender, the more one thing becomes clear. Surrendering to God is infinitely better than trying to manage on our own. Peter is an example for us. If you’re going to give me life, give it abundantly! I don’t just want a piece of it, I want the whole thing.
Pray:
God, you are the only source of life. Being with you is better than anything the world has to offer. Show me the areas I try to keep to myself. Show me how to surrender all of who I am to you. Fill my whole life with your love, joy, and peace. Amen.
Share:
How remarkable is it that Jesus bent down to wash his disciples feet? Do you know any other leaders who lead this way?
We’re all tempted to section off our lives and hold things back from God. Is there any part of you that you need to surrender to him?
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent.
Read: John 13:1-9
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. [2] During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, [3] 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, [4] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. [5] 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. [6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” [7] Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” [8] 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.” [9] Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (ESV)
It’s hard not to identify with Peter in this story. The King of kings, ruler of the universe, and Savior of the world bows down to wash your feet. My first reaction would be the same - “No way! Don’t do that!” Of course, Jesus would reply, I have to wash your feet or you cannot be acceptable to God. Then I would reply, “Don’t stop with my feet! Wash my body, mind, and soul!”
Something changes in Peter’s perspective. He sees that the only way to have some of Christ is to have all of him. You can’t be partially washed, you have to offer up everything. One of the easiest things to do in your relationship with God is give him part of your life. Here God, you can have some of my time, some of my goals, some of my treasure, some of my relationships, but don’t take all of it!
The more you surrender, the more one thing becomes clear. Surrendering to God is infinitely better than trying to manage on our own. Peter is an example for us. If you’re going to give me life, give it abundantly! I don’t just want a piece of it, I want the whole thing.
Pray:
God, you are the only source of life. Being with you is better than anything the world has to offer. Show me the areas I try to keep to myself. Show me how to surrender all of who I am to you. Fill my whole life with your love, joy, and peace. Amen.
Share:
How remarkable is it that Jesus bent down to wash his disciples feet? Do you know any other leaders who lead this way?
We’re all tempted to section off our lives and hold things back from God. Is there any part of you that you need to surrender to him?
Recent
Archive
2024
January
2023
2022
March
Lent: Turning Our Hearts to EasterJesus Moves Into the NeighborhoodHe Must Increase, I Must DecreaseSigns of CelebrationThe Long GameA Full Heart and an Empty JarThe Cost of Being HealedPhysically Fed, Spiritually SatisfiedOne Step CloserWalk in the LightSet Free ForeverNo One Will Snatch Them out of My HandThankfulness OverflowingLook and Be HealedAll of Him for All of YouThe Unglamorous Kind of ServiceNever AloneThat Your Joy May Be FullThe Greatest Act of Love
April
September
No Comments