‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬ — rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

This week I have been sharing about, “we can’t wash feet when …” We haven’t been literally washing feet, rather sharing in the context of humility, the posture of our hearts, and the call to serve others. In thinking about when Jesus washed His disciples feet, we ourselves can’t wash feet when we have an ungrateful heart. Have you ever served and your heart just wasn’t in it? Do you sometimes say yes out of obligation and then regret that decision? I’ve learned the hard way over the years to say, “let me pray about it,” if an immediate yes doesn’t come to mind.

We should be thankful to serve but also keep in mind that not every assignment is ours to say yes to. If your response is, “let me pray about it,” really take time to go to God in prayer. In Colossians we are taught how to be overflowing with thankfulness. As you root yourself with God in His word and prayer, sit and listen. 

Maybe you said yes to something and you’re losing your passion to serve. Intentionally enter your time of serving by imagining you are stepping onto holy ground. In Psalms we are encouraged to enter His gates with thanksgiving. Be encouraged by this word and be thankful to serve.

Are you currently attending church? Maybe you don’t have a church. Deborah and I attend Herbert Memorial United Methodist Church in Georgetown, SC, while Ray attends Pawleys Island Community Church in Pawleys Island, SC. We invite you to join us anytime! Maybe you’ve gotten comfortable watching from home. If you are physically able, I encourage you to attend in person. There is just something about stepping into His house of worship. 

Do you have time in your schedule to serve? Can you make time? I encourage you to ask your Pastor where there is a need to serve. Take time to pray over his response and ask God to lead you. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You that I can attend church in person. I remember how devastating it was during COVID when I could not attend and now sometimes I take it for granted. Forgive me. I surrender all my areas of service and ask that You renew my passion to serve. Show me any area that You would have me to say yes to. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭MSG‬‬ — Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

If you are just joining us today, this week I have been sharing about, “we can’t wash feet when …” We haven’t been literally washing feet, rather sharing in the context of humility, the posture of our hearts, and the call to serve others. In thinking about when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, we ourselves can’t wash feet when we are comparing ourselves to others or wishing we had been given different gifts of service. Comparison is the thief of joy. Maybe you wish you look different or talk differently. Maybe you wish God had given you different talents, like photography, technology, writing, speaking, singing, teaching, sewing, or baking?

I like The Message version of our key verse in Galatians. Each of us must take responsibility in doing our creative best with the bodies and the talents we have been given. We shouldn’t boast or look down on ourselves. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others. I need this as a daily reminder.

In 1 Peter we are taught to be faithful stewards of God’s grace and gifts for His glory. Have you experienced the thief of comparison? Take inventory of your gifts and talents. I encourage you to then write them as your gratitudes for the day. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for making me who I am. You made me wonderfully as You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Help me to be a faithful steward of the gifts and talents you have given me. I thank You for each one. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV — Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.‬‬

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

In case you missed yesterday’s post, this week I will be sharing about, “we can’t wash feet when …” We won’t literally be washing feet, rather sharing in the context of humility, the posture of our hearts, and the call to serve others. In thinking about when Jesus washed His disciples feet, we ourselves can’t wash feet when unwholesome talk is coming out of our hearts, minds, or mouths.

In Ephesians we learn that we should always be lifting people up, rather than tearing them down. Instead of participating in gossip, humbly go to God and ask, what would Jesus do in this situation? 

In Psalms we learn that we can put a guard over our mouths but what keeps us from thinking ill thoughts? We can choose to change the posture of our hearts by surrendering those thoughts to God. 

Is there someone you need to build up today? Is there an encouraging word you can share with that person? Or maybe you need to build yourself up by spending time in God’s word and prayer.

Let’s pray. Dear God, I humbly come before You. Reveal to me any unwholesome talk or thoughts that I have participated in. I surrender my thoughts to You so that the posture of my heart will be about building others up. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

This week I will be sharing about, “we can’t wash feet when…” We won’t literally be washing feet, rather sharing in the context of humility, the posture of our hearts, and the call to serve others. Take some time today to read when Jesus washed His disciples feet. 

John‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬ — It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, 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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John‬ ‭13‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Join us for See You Saturday as we wrap up the week on a washing feet mindset.

You can view the feet washing scene in The Jesus Revolution Movie by clicking the link!

Take a moment today to worship with the following songs:

Resurrecting by Elevation Worship

Church (Take Me Back) by Cochran & Co.

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Join us as we wrap up the week sharing on Faith!