Right now, Christians around the world are celebrating the season of Lent. Lent, as you may know, is the season of the church year that leads to Easter when Christians celebrate new life.
This Lenten season I’m lingering on Jesus’ last night on earth for some reason. That last night is described in the 13th chapter of John’s Gospel. There’s a lot going on that night. Jesus feeds his disciples a meal, giving bread first to his enemy, Judas. Jesus puts wine in their hands & likens the wine to the blood he will soon pour out for them. After dinner, Jesus puts a towel around his waist and washes his disciple’s feet. Then of course, Jesus dies on the cross that same night. That last night is peppered with acts of self-sacrificial love from Jesus.
Leading up to all of that, John tells us that “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God.” (John 13:3). That verse makes me stop.
The power that made the stars decided to spend its last night on earth washing feet? The power that spun the earth into motion decided to spend its last night feeding an enemy? The power that could crush evil with one snap of its fingers allowed himself to be crushed? The power that wove all matter together let somebody else wash the matter that made up his body? That’s what divine power looks like when it leaves the stars? Foot washing? Sharing bread? Death for somebody else?
That’s what’s so weird about the power of God. When the power that made the stars leaves the stars it looks like a man washing feet…even his enemies’ feet. When the power that holds the galaxies in its hands takes on human flesh it breaks bread with those same hands & shares it. When the power that created human bodies actually occupies a human body it looks like John 13… kneeling, foot-washing, sharing bread, sacrificing itself for the things it made. God’s unfathomable power, when translated into something actually fathomable, looks like THAT.
I wouldn’t have seen that coming. Would you have?
That makes me wonder if sometimes I’m looking for the power of God in all the wrong places. In kings, rulers, governments, court rooms, armies, movers-and-shakers, celebrity, popularity, fame, wealth, achievement, success, glory, honor, possessions, comfort, security…. Why didn’t the power that made the stars occupy any of those things?
The Gospels don’t tell me why, they just tell me He didn’t. When that great Power left the stars it washed feet.
I guess if we want to participate with that power, we’d best pick up our own towels & find some feet to wash.
