Serve.

Today's theme in Ragamuffin was Serve. I knew after reading this I would have to share yet again with you all. (whoever reads) The story that Manning talks about is what I have encountered with Jesus too, not every single word but where Christ has washed my feet through friends.

Here is his story.

'One morning at a retreat center, I was reading the passage in John 13 that describes Jesus washing the feet of His disciples when I was suddenly transported in faith to the Upper Room. And there I took Judas's place. The Servant Jesus had just tied a towel around His waist and poured water from a pitcher into a copper basin. He reached out to wash my feet. Involuntarily, I pulled back. I couldn't even look at Him. I knew in my heart that I betrayed His vision, been unfaithful to my dream and thus unfaithful to His plan for my life.

But Jesus placed His hand on my knee and said, "Brennan, do you know what these years together have meant to me? You were being held, even when you didn't believe I was holding you. I love you, my friend."

Tears flowed down my cheeks. "But, Lord, my sins, my repeated failures, my weaknesses," I protested.

"I understand," He said. "Brennan, I expected more failure from you than you expected from yourself." He smiled, then said, "You always came back. Nothing pleases me so much as when you trust Me, when you allow My compassion to be greater than your sinfulness."

"But Jesus," I blurted, "my irritating character defects, the boasting, the inflating the truth, the pretenses, the impatience, all the times I got drunk.."

"What you're saying is true, Brennan. yet your love for Me never wavered and your heart remain pure. And besides, you've done one thing that make Me forget all the rest."

I leaned forward, bewildered. "What?" I asked.

Jesus answered, "You've been kind to sinners...."

I sobbed so hard that the priest in the next room at the retreat came over and rapped on my door to see if anything was wrong. I assured him that I was okay, and I returned to prayed.

Then I heard Jesus say, "Now I'll go. I just washed your feet. Do that same for others. Serve My people humbly and lovingly. You will find happiness if you do. Peace, My friend."

I just think this is a beautiful illustration of Christ in the fullest. When I was at Windy Gap my feet were washed by my Towashie Boss and I felt so undeserving, but Jesus was saying through her "I love you, Danielle, you deserve this." Last fall my feet were washed again by a friend and there were girls all around me getting their feet washed as well. Again, Jesus said "You deserve this."

You deserve this.

You deserve this.