Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday service in Lawra was just what I needed. It was so good to be a part of the congregation, even if I did have to sit up front with the pastor. The corporate worship, the prayers, the singing. It was a nice change from leading worship and preaching. The evening was filled with symbolism of the Christian faith. And, what was most exciting to me, is my pastor leads by serving, not just lip service, but in his life!

 



 

A foot washing service was incorporated into the evening's worship service. The Very Rev. Ernest Baiden sat on a small kitchen stool and called for the leaders of the church to come forward. One by one, he washed our feet. I wanted to respond like Peter, "Rev. Baiden, don't wash my feet. I walked here. They are filthy, gross. I came to serve the people of Lawra, not to be served." I didn't voice what I was thinking. I just watched him, filled with the love of Christ, rinsing my feet, spreading the soap and lathering and then rinsing off the soap and taking a towel to dry my feet. Oh, my! It was amazing! THe love he has for the people in his congregation. He is truly a servant.

 

 

After the church leaders had their feet washed, they, in turn washed the feet of the congregation. We went through plenty of soap and water. If you live in Lawra, your feet don't stay clean for long. There were a lot of nasty looking feet. But, as I washed the feet of others, I didn't think, "Ew, this is horrible. Why am I not wearing gloves?" Instead, I prayed for the person, for their safety as they walked throughout town, for their relationship with Christ, for their life and their family thanking God for this opportunity to serve others. What an example! It was interesting to hear the comments of people afterwards. Surely God was in this place!

 



The service continued with communion. Jesus did these two things, washing the feet of those closest to Him and He shared a meal with them. And, he told them to do as He did. We are to be servants and we are to remember Him when we eat the bread and drink the wine. Being so far away from all that is familiar, this was the perfect way to worship and to remember what Christ had done for us, for you and for me. It was truly a "Holy Thursday."

Make Me a Servant

Jesus said... "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, 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 13:15-17

During this past week, I attended two communion services, both focused on the last time Jesus ate with His disciples. The one thing that really made an impact on me was the fact that we are to be servants. Our ministry is to follow Jesus' example and to "wash feet" or possibly to do those menial chores that no one else wants to do. We are to seek Him and ask Him what we are to do, not tell Him what we want to do.

And, as usual, as I thought about this, as I meditated on this, I thought about the ministry in which the Lord has placed me. I didn't go looking for the opportunity to serve on the Global Resource Team. I thought I would be serving in Russia for five years. But, the Lord had other plans. Now, what I do is go into an area or country where I have been invited by missionaries or nationals. They have identified specific needs that they have concerning children/children at risk. And, I go and help fill that need. The need may be an extra pair of hands to show children that Someone loves them. It may be helping to set up a new library. It may be to do training to empower nationals to better do ministry. It may be "holy hanging around." It may be visiting sick children in a hospital. It may be being part of a hospital prayer ministry. It may be living side by side with nationals, living in the same conditions they are, bathing in the river, walking to the out house, helping out with day to day chores and sharing the love of Christ, not just in words but in every day actions.

Ten years ago did I think my life would be like this? No, not at all, but God did. And, now I pray, "Lord, make me a servant, Your servant."