As I Ready for Ghana; Just Some Thoughts
My reading this Monday included John 13. As I ready to leave, these few verses really jumped out at me. “It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” “Taken from John 13:2-5 NIV Bible by Zondervan Publishing. Copyright © 2008 by Zondervan. Used by permission of Zondervan, http://www.zondervan.com.”
All around Jesus people were celebrating the holiday — joyful to share Passover with family and friends. They might have had a fleeting thought about Jesus, what would he teach or what sign he may do, but likely their minds and lives were consumed with their own life: their family, their friends, their jobs, their problems…. However Jesus’ mind was not consumed by his own troubles, but on the relationships he had so carefully built with love. On the eve of his death, he showed how much he loves us! How could he be thoughtful of others at a time like this, as he saw the nails and hammer of the Cross before him?
It was his relationship to the Father. Because Jesus knew the Father, being so intimate with God’s character, Jesus trusted God with his very life allowing Jesus to continue to fulfill his purpose. Jesus also knew that before time was, he had been with the Father and it was now time for him to return back to where he came from; his true and everlasting abode. Jesus’ love for us was borne out of the Father’s love for us, so Jesus was able to strip himself, drop to his knees and clean the feet of those he loved.
As Christians, we should grasp that we existed in Christ before the foundation of the world. We truly experienced being in him; obviously we don’t recall it. We also don’t recall being in our mother’s womb, but that does not detract from the fact that we were. If we were in Christ, we can never be separated from his purpose, his love, and will ultimately return to him. I find great confidence, strength, and hope in knowing that I am a part of his body; having access to all that he is and offers us. Knowing that God is in me, doing his work, frees me to love others with the same love he provides me but in God size portions. We find ourselves in places we never thought we would be, doing things we thought we were incapable of doing, being with people we never would have gone after; all because of God’s love for us and designed us to fit his plans.
I also cannot dodge the fact that Jesus left the comfort and safety of his heavenly home to be subjected to temptations and sufferings. If I am being called to leave the comfort and safety of my home, how could I not and still be pleasing to God? I can not also expect any treatment different than the world gave Jesus. Jesus did not look for trouble (nor will I), but he did not shrink back or was fearful when it came, but in the midst of personal pain continued to love those he was sent to find and to bring to safety.
Yes, I can choose to do less and shrink back from what God has for me. But by God’s favor through the work which he is performing through me, I choose to do more to bring a smile to God and love to those that are being oppressed are hungry and in need of a helping hand. My past has shaped my present directing me into a hopeful future.