Maundy Thursday - April 5, 2012
John 13:3
Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God.
Jesus knew who he was. He knew his origins in God.
He did not need success to tell him who he was, nor did he need great accolades or diplomas on his wall or financial security to confirm his identity. He knew who he was deep within himself. He lived out of the abundance of his core identity in God.
When a person is fully in touch with who they are, every possibility opens up before them. They are not threatened with tasks that seem beneath them, nor do they get inflated when given responsibility or position. They are able to be at ease with every kind of person and in every kind of situation, because they don't spend their time thinking, "I'm glad I'm not so-and-so," or "I wish I were that person."
The complete text for today is John 13:1 - 15. In it, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Jesus was able to strip down and then kneel at the feet of his followers to wash their dusty feet because he knew who he was. Not even the word "servant" could define him. He lived out the fullness of what it meant to be human.
This may be part of the example he gave his followers, that they should do as he did . . . not just in the washing of feet or the serving of others, but in the inner freedom to live fully into their identities in God . . . to live a fully human life.
In fact, isn't it also true of us, that we have come from God and will be going to God?
For today . . . use the line above from John 13:3 as a prayer phrase for the day. Make it personal for yourself. Try this as a prayer phrase: "I come from You and I will go to You." Repeat the whispered prayer quietly several times. Then carry the prayer with you through the rest of your day. Allow the prayer phrase to keep you grounded through the day.
Jesus knew that he had come from God and would go back to God.
Jesus knew who he was. He knew his origins in God.
He did not need success to tell him who he was, nor did he need great accolades or diplomas on his wall or financial security to confirm his identity. He knew who he was deep within himself. He lived out of the abundance of his core identity in God.
When a person is fully in touch with who they are, every possibility opens up before them. They are not threatened with tasks that seem beneath them, nor do they get inflated when given responsibility or position. They are able to be at ease with every kind of person and in every kind of situation, because they don't spend their time thinking, "I'm glad I'm not so-and-so," or "I wish I were that person."
The complete text for today is John 13:1 - 15. In it, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Jesus was able to strip down and then kneel at the feet of his followers to wash their dusty feet because he knew who he was. Not even the word "servant" could define him. He lived out the fullness of what it meant to be human.
This may be part of the example he gave his followers, that they should do as he did . . . not just in the washing of feet or the serving of others, but in the inner freedom to live fully into their identities in God . . . to live a fully human life.
In fact, isn't it also true of us, that we have come from God and will be going to God?
For today . . . use the line above from John 13:3 as a prayer phrase for the day. Make it personal for yourself. Try this as a prayer phrase: "I come from You and I will go to You." Repeat the whispered prayer quietly several times. Then carry the prayer with you through the rest of your day. Allow the prayer phrase to keep you grounded through the day.
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