A Prayer to Humbly Serve This Maundy Thursday
By Megan Evans
"When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, 'Do you know what I have done for you?'" - John 13:12 (ESV)
Would you let Jesus wash your feet? Isn't it hard to imagine lifting our dirty toes to the King of Kings? None of us are worthy of his care and attention; yet in Christ's perfect love, he gives us nothing less. Does your human heart struggle like mine to serve others humbly as Jesus did?
On the Thursday before his crucifixion, Jesus ate with his disciples in an upper room and taught us what it means to love and serve. John 13:4-5 tells us Jesus got up from the supper table, removed 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. We see ministry modeled in this scene. This was a household servant's job, yet Jesus taught that to lead, teach, and sacrificially love others, we must take on a servant role with a servant's heart.
"When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, 'Do you know what I have done for you?'" (John 13:12).
It is a question we need to ask ourselves today as well. We must understand what Jesus did for us to love and serve others well. Fully God, Jesus didn't cling to his divine privileges, "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 2:7-8). Jesus welcomes us through his grace and mercy, forgives our sins by his work on the cross, and washes us clean once and for all. Then, daily, we get to walk with God in a brand new life as a follower of Christ. As we learn his love, Jesus gives us the capacity to love and serve as He did.
Jesus wanted to ensure His disciples understood He was Teacher, Messiah, Savior, and Lord. Soon, he would send them to tell the world the Good News that washed in the blood of Jesus Christ we could be made right with God once and for all. He calls us to share this hope as his disciples today. After washing His disciple's feet, Jesus gave them a mandate, or commandment, to follow when interacting with people. The word "command" comes from the Latin word mandatum. A shortened form of this word is "maundy," where we get the term "Maundy Thursday." On this important day, he told his disciples (and us), "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).
May this Holy Week remind us that we have a story to tell as we love and serve. We get to testify how Jesus saved us and the difference he makes in our lives. Like Jesus demonstrated, humbly serving others requires us to set aside status and position to love as He did. From the most lavish to mundane, there are ways we can serve one another every single day. A humble Christ-like posture and a willing heart are all it takes to respond to the needs around us.
Consider spending unrushed time with a friend or family member. Try cleaning up a mess you didn't make. Think of ways to bless someone or give above and beyond a typical donation, benevolence, or offering. Serving might be costly, inconvenient, or messy at times. It may even stretch us out of our comfort zones or require steps of faith. Time and resources are precious, but as we learn to view them as gifts from God, sharing them is more and more joyful.
Look around you this week. What is one act of service you can do that you feel is beneath your status or position? How can you love and serve others in your home, church, workplace, and community?
Let's pray:
Dear Lord, I am not worthy to be washed clean by you. Yet, as my King, you took the role of humble servant when you took my place on the cross. Teach me your love for others. Lead me to serve humbly. On this particular day that we call "Maundy Thursday," teach me your mandate to love one another as you love me. It doesn't always come naturally to me. Lord, you know that person I struggle to love today and those areas of service I tend to avoid. You know how stingy I can be with my time, money, and things. Help me to notice and listen to people this week and respond with Christ-like love and generosity. Make me aware of the needs in my church and community and stir my heart to act. With the love you have shown me, teach me to love others with a servant's heart like yours. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Photo credit: Image created using AI technology via DALL.E
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