Highlight 1; The hour has come
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
There comes a time in the life of every man on the path of destiny fulfilment when the hour comes. There are strategic times in life’s journey which serve as tipping points to our assignments in life. Jesus had been doing ministry and walking in purpose but now the hour had come to leave the world. This was the tipping point in His ministry on earth, the point where it all changed. He knew He had to leave and return to the Father despite His love for His disciples. Rather than keeping Him back his love for them strengthened His decision to go.
In my life these strategic points in destiny will require different sacrifices from me. Leaving people or things to go after destiny fulfilment will not be because I do not care about them, it would be that I loved them so much I had to go. I would be of better use to them gone, feel fulfilled and be of greater asset to God if I moved.
This does not necessarily mean irrationally cutting off relationships, I believe that would be anti-scripture. While it is necessary to shed off certain weights relationships still remain a major instrument to destiny fulfilment. Jesus would still need His disciples to fulfill His purpose despite the fact that He was leaving them. Judas would still betray Him. Jesus’s time had come, He would leave His disciples whom He loved still He maintained a relationship till the very end.
Lesson: there are specific and strategic tipping points in destiny. Don’t just know, be aware and be ready to do what it takes. Do not be moved by sentiments rather than destiny. Leaving does not replace feeling yet I must go. The one I owe absolute loyalty to is God and His purpose for me.
Questions to reflect on: How many times have I put emotions over purpose? How many times have I put a sense of entitlement over discernment?
Prayer: Lord help me identify these tipping points on my path to destiny fulfilment and give me the grace and strength to do the needful.
Highlight 2: Wisdom or emotions?
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
It was time for supper and Judas had already been prompted by the devil. I would like to know what Jesus’s thoughts was at this point.
Questions; How did He feel knowing that this person who had walked with Him in purpose, who had eaten with Him severally and still ate with Him as he deliberated on killing Him or not was the very one who would betray Him? How was He able to stay calm and not throw jabs and shades at him? How did He get to this point where although troubled calmly fulfilled purpose? No tantrum throwing, no emotional guilt tripping, no sabotaging, just calmly explaining what would happen after.
From here I drew few conclusions;
It is either Jesus was heartless (by this I mean that He just didn’t care) or He had learnt to live emotionally whole. Jesus couldn’t be heartless because a greater part of all the miracles that we see Jesus perform we see compassion in it. We see times when He wept, we see times where the needs of the people triggered the miracle. This means Jesus had a heart that felt all of these emotions that I feel yet He learnt to fulfill the call over His life without getting estranged. The very people He came to die for were going to persecute Him and constantly said awful things about Him still He kept going. We may argue that He came to earth knowing that not everyone would accept Him but He came anyway. No matter how prepared you are for betrayal there would still be openings here and there to feel. This further cement the fact that Jesus understood the assignment so much that He put His heart to it but He understood the boundaries. He knew how to open the gate for all to come in and yet how to guard the inner courts of His heart from hurt.
He also knew the role every relationship played in the journey to fulfilling the assignment. He knew from whom His emotional stability depended on. That although I could be troubled within because of the weight of the assignment I know to whom I can unburden. He did not do this to the disciples, He went to the Father. This is where His emotional strength came from, it was what held His mental health intact.
Questions to reflect on; how well do I understand my assignment? If anything happened to any relationship around me. Am I discerning enough to know its cause? Am I able to tell that somethings although triggered by the devil were God ordained? Will I move on despite or will I wait to fight through that which I have no business fighting. What mindset am I fulfilling purpose with? Where do I unburden? on what foundation have I built the structural building of my emotional stability and finally how resolute am I even in empathy.
Another highlight from these verses would be that it is not every time you see the devil in action you that you bind, cast and attack. Sometimes ignore and move on. We see the devil doing a work in Judas Jesus being aware continued to eat with him and then washed his feet. While the devil was running to and fro planning Jesus’s death, Jesus fully aware went on fulfilling His call. His purpose was in the death. Sometimes the devil is Gods errand boy in your matter. Rather than spend time running after him (the devil) go to God and ask for the strategy to move at such a time. For peter the Lord rebuked the devil, in Judas case He let his have his way.
Lesson: Stop fighting every battle!
Strategic times in destiny requires strategies to navigate through, probably the unusual routes. If the devil knew he wouldn’t have killed the king of glory, this means he was unaware that his very actions were the ones that would checkmate him. Have you asked the Lord what the strategy for the season is? To access the new am I swimming through or gliding through? When you swim with every stroke you keep the journey going, it involves active intentional actions dealing with every current of the water. Gliding is like surfing; you just have to throw your board and move with the waves and it will get you to the shore. You don’t even create the waves you ride o it.
Lesson: Know which battle to fight through and which one to surf on.
Highlight 3; anointed? Serve!
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Jesus knew the Father had given Him authority over everything yet He served. Through the last days of Jesus on earth He played servanthood to His disciples. At the very pinnacle of His destiny Jesus was seen washing His disciples’ feet. He knew He had authority and who it came from, the very ingredients for pride yet servitude was His response. He may have allowed his feet be anointed with expensive fragrance and wiped with luscious hair still He would sit to wash the feet of others, the very ones who called Him Lord and Teacher.
Could it be as a response to what Mary did? That since you saw it honoring enough to prepare my body for its assignment I would of necessity do the same for you. That is leadership! Not just been on the receiving end but also understanding that these ones God sent me to also have a purpose to fulfil as well and they must be prepared for it. This is my assignment in their lives as a leader. Not just to teach and receive honor from them but I must be ready to get into the parts of their lives where it seems dirty the most and allow God use me to consecrate them unto Himself. Jesus took His robe off ready to wash, I must be ready to go all in. Perhaps the reason I came into awareness of who I am is so that I can be who I need to be to those I have been sent to and those sent to me.
Lesson: Kingdom ambassadorship does not just mean flying first class and meeting with high fellas, it is majorly negotiating the destiny of nations (people). Ensuring that’s nations get the best deals and they reach their full potential.
He did not just wash their feet and left it wet, he dried it. A wet foot would attract more dirt than a dry one. When you wash your feet, it becomes obvious to everyone around how much dirt you have on it. The dirt begins to trickle down with the water but woe unto the man who stops there for he has just opened a new avenue for fresh dirt’s to attach themselves to his feet.
Lesson; don’t just expose these sides of your followers to them show them how to work on it and work on it with them. Don’t just get into their lives to show them how messy it is be the very tool to clean up the mess. Leadership Is not just starting the work but seeing it through to the end as well. Jesus did a WHOLE work, we should do the same.
I am not their savior but can Jesus trust me enough to do a complete work in them through me. Can He trust me to stay through after seeing the weight of mess they carry?
Highlight 4: how far can you go?
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Jesus washed the feet of all His disciples, He did not skip over Judas’s own or even Peter who would deny Him. Just as He washed the feet of the one, He loved He washed that of the one who instigated His death, the one who denied Him and those who deserted Him. If this person was the very thorn in my flesh would I stay through to seeing that they become all that God has called them to be?
Questions to reflect on: am I truly ready for leadership? Do I really know what it means to and the price for it?
Highlight 5: refusing Gods help is not humility
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
This one starts with a question. Why did peter not question or try to stop Jesus when He started washing the first person’s feet? Somehow, he thought it was okay for Jesus to wash the feet of others and but not His own. I think it was pride, subtle maybe but pride posing as humility. Perhaps he assumed he was better than the others whose feet Jesus washed before getting to his. Yes help them but I am fine, I got it. Theirs may be dirty but mine is clean something definitely powered that statement. And it wasn’t inferiority complex or shame, he sounded too confident to be insecure. It was more like a hyped esteem if anything. Noble and maybe good intentions but questionable motive.
Questions to reflect; am I certain my actions, words and thoughts come from a good place? How often am I able to check through and submit my soul to God to do a search through. Can I boldly say every action and words even responses to God comes from a good place.
We see however that when the Lord calls peter to check he is quick to open up. He is quick to say not just my feet, wash my hands and head as well. Not just my feet Lord, do a thorough work in me. Not just my relationships but a through work In my finances as well. Consecrate not just my appetite for food alone but for things as well. Don’t leave out the appetite for financial stability and independence. Abundance is great and is Gods plan for me but why am I bent on having it. Don’t cut it off but consecrate it.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
Are these words I am able to say to the Lord? That like peter although I have the tendency to puff up but when the Lord shows me the importance of the work, He is doing in me I surrender totally. Do I let Him wash my feet or do I continue to question Him till He passes me by? Remember the Lord will not strive with any man. No disciple there was forced mine will not be an exception.
When the Lord opens my eyes to see myself, the motives and mindset I run with do I just stand up from the place of revelation without consecration? Light exposes but what is the point of exposure without action to follow after.
Highlight 7: Gloryy?
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him.
This got me wondering how death could mean entering into glory. We have been made to believe seemingly good things are glorious things. How could His entering into glory mean He would die battered and bruised? A number of times situations of our lives which we detest and can’t wait to be over may be the very one meant to glorify God in our lives. All things rosy and smooth are what I want but when the not so good ones show up am I able to discern and allow the full course of things play out? That Jesus be glorified.
Highlight 8: working for God or Knowing Him
Philip has been with Jesus, heard Him talk over and over and still Jesus said He did not know Him. if I would know the Lord, I would need to do more than be around Him or even hear to what He says. Philip probably didn’t listen to what Jesus was always talking about. No intentional action towards knowing the one he followed. Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life if I will get to know Him I must get familiar with Him, His words and His deeds.