Serving in His Steps Devotion book
Here’s a sample devotion from Serving in His Steps, CTA’s newest gift book designed to express appreciation to volunteers and staff in your church. Pastors, children’s ministers, youth workers, deacons boards, elders, women’s/men’s ministry leaders–whoever you want to encourage or thank for stepping up to serve–will, I hope, find these devotions encouraging! Visit the CTA website for more on the Serving in His Steps devotion book.
[Jesus] 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.
John 13:4-5
He had to kneel. There’s no other way to wash someone’s feet. Bending over won’t do at all. So Jesus knelt. It was a step down. A giant step down, when we consider the rainbow encircled throne from which he had descended three short decades earlier. God became man. The Creator took on skin and hair and blood vessels. Embryo to fetus to newborn lying in his peasant mother’s lap, snuggling against the cold.
A step down. It was that alright, and more-much more! A thousand years earlier, King David had written about the steps our Lord would take to love us: You stoop down to make me great. (Psalm 18:35)
Just think of that! Jesus stoops so we can stand, unashamed and filled with joy, in his presence forever. The gentle Jesus, crucified and risen in love for each one of us personally, has by his death made us great. We have incredible value in God’s eyes, not because of what we have done or can do, but because of what Christ did for us.
What an amazing difference it would make if we could begin to grasp even a small bit of that truth! We would no longer agonize in guilt over sins long since forgiven. We would no longer need to toot our own horn or defend our own record. We would no longer wonder if we’ve done enough or if our best service has been good enough.
Jesus stooped down, stepped down from heaven itself into our reality. Now, he takes our hand to lift us up. What grace! Truly amazing grace!
Want to read more or find out how to order copies for those servant-leaders in your church? Click here!
