A Servant's Heart

God is love and He demonstrated His love toward all men in the perfect servant, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ultimate example of living with a servant's heart!

As I was thinking about this, I decided to take a closer look at this passage of scripture:

"Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.

It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.

So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him." (John 13)

Two parts of this passage caught my attention immediately:

1. Jesus loved His disciples to the very end.

Loved in this passage is the word Agapao (a form of the word Agape) which means the love of God, benevolence, a regard for the welfare of others...

Jesus loved all of His disciples even when they struggled with their faith and struggled to understand the Truths He repeatedly told them. He loved the one who would deny Him and the one who would betray Him!

He demonstrated His love by washing their uncomely and unclean feet hours before His death!

2. Jesus knew He came from God and would return to God.

Jesus knew His purpose and to whom He belonged. He was given authority over everything. He had been sent by God the Father and after His death and resurrection He would be returning to sit at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

These two parts were stated before Jesus washed the disciples feet. As I thought about this it really spoke to me...

He LOVED, He KNEW, and then He washed. His serving sprang out of Godly love, knowledge of Who He belonged to and the Father's purpose for Him.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8)

As I follow Jesus' example and live with a servant heart, it is essential I believe I am loved and I belong! I need to cling to the Truth that God loves me, I am His and He has given my life purpose.

LOVE

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)

"God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—" (Ephesians 2:4-5)

God sent Christ to die for us when we were uncomely and unclean; we had no righteousness to claim as our own...just like those uncomely and unclean feet Jesus washed.

God showed such great love, a love I do not deserve, but continue to receive!

As I receive His love for me, I am free to humbly and confidently serve others. Serving others is not based on what they deserve, it is based on the very character of God and the kindness He shows me.

BELONGING and PURPOSE

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. "(1John 3:1)

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." (Galatians 5:13)

When we believe in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection we are adopted as the children of God! We belong to Him.

We have freedom to let go of self promotion, self protection, and selfishness-

We have freedom to let go of finding happiness, self worth and acceptance in people or things-

We have been given a new purpose...to serve others with Godly love. Love that is kind, patient, hopeful, enduring and selfless; love that is never rude, prideful or jealous; love that always rejoices in the Truth.

I am loved with a perfect love-

"I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ"-

The desire to serve grows in my heart as I embrace these Truths and then springs forth into action...

Lord make me a humble servant...

help my life to be lived with a servant's heart...

Blessings,

Amy