Lent Devotional

My name is Dave Waldrup. My wife and I have been attending Fellowship Dallas for a little over three years. Becky is the volunteer Serve Coordinator, and I am the volunteer Men's Ministry Director. Our daughter, Laura Enwere, and her husband, David, lead a Life Group in their home, and Laura sings with the music team. We love being at Fellowship and serving together as a family.

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Famous last words. Having [greatly] loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [and continuously loves them with His perfect love] to the end — eternally (John 13:1, Amplified Version). Jesus knows what is ahead of Him, and yet He is filled with eternal love for the disciples. I love the way the Amplified version renders the language here: Jesus perfectly loves us, continuously, for eternity. Wow!

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For the typical man or woman, knowing what Jesus knew about His impending suffering and death, the instinct would be to get out of town! How opposite, then, for God Himself to strip and perform one of the dirtiest tasks for those who — even after three years — still weren't sure how He was going to fulfill His role as Messiah.

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Peter understands enough to be overwhelmed with a desire to be fully associated with and connected to his Lord. Jesus reassures him that he is "already clean" because of Jesus' words. Washing our feet is symbolic of dealing with our daily sins, as we are already clean through the living Word abiding in us (see Galatians 2:20). After washing their feet, Jesus makes it clear why He did this: He set the example for the disciples, and by extension for all of us, to do the same for one another. This passage moves me to repent of my reluctance to serve others and to worship Jesus as my Savior and Servant-example. He alone is the One who loves me perfectly, continuously, and forever.

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This passage always convicts me about serving, especially "the least of these" in our community. Jesus says plainly that if He, my Lord and Master, does this, I should do the same for others. It's even more powerful that He did it hours before being arrested, tortured, and crucified. Lord, remind me of Your heart to love and serve, and urge me through Your indwelling Spirit to go and do likewise.