Today's Devotional: The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Towel Mentality" for Thursday, 2 April 2015 - Scripture: John 13:1-17

Today's Devotional:
The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Towel Mentality" for Thursday, 2 April 2015 - Scripture: John 13:1 It was just before the festival of Pesach, and Yeshua knew that the time had come for him to pass from this world to the Father. Having loved his own people in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 They were at supper, and the Adversary had already put the desire to betray him into the heart of Y’hudah Ben-Shim‘on from K’riot. 3 Yeshua was aware that the Father had put everything in his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God. 4 So he rose from the table, removed his outer garments and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the talmidim and wipe them off with the towel wrapped around him.
6 He came to Shim‘on Kefa, who said to him, “Lord! You are washing my feet?” 7 Yeshua answered him, “You don’t understand yet what I am doing, but in time you will understand.” 8 “No!” said Kefa, “You will never wash my feet!” Yeshua answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 “Lord,” Shim‘on Kefa replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and head too!” 10 Yeshua said to him, “A man who has had a bath doesn’t need to wash, except his feet — his body is already clean. And you people are clean, but not all of you.” 11 (He knew who was betraying him; this is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”)
12 After he had washed their feet, taken back his clothes and returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because I am. 14 Now if I, the Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you. 16 Yes, indeed! I tell you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is an emissary greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”[John 13:14 (NIV)]
Recently, I realized that what keeps me spiritually grounded is serving other people. When I face tough times in my own life or when I have more questions than answers, I want to “take up a towel” as Jesus demonstrated in John 13. Jesus was facing crucifixion. But instead of taking up arms or calling 12 legions of angels (see Matt. 26:53), Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and started washing his disciples’ feet.
When we face trials, it’s easy to focus on only our own problems. While we wait on the Lord to answer our prayers or while we search for answers, we often become impatient and ask God when, why, or how? Instead, we could simply search for opportunities to serve and bless others. When we take on a “towel mentality” and humble ourselves, we become the hands and feet of Christ.
The Author: Brad Richardson (Georgia, USA)
Thought for the Day: Whom can I serve as Christ’s hands and feet today?
Prayer: Dear God, develop in us a servant’s heart. Help us to be sensitive to the many ways we can serve others at home, work, school, and church. Amen.
Prayer focus: For A Humble Attitude

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