John 13:1-17 (ESV)

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Explanation:

It is not uncommon for someone who has been given a certain amount of time to live to radically change the way they are living. Some may even create a bucket list of items they want to accomplish before that final day comes. Most often, these bucket lists will include some endeavors of adventure, some relational reconciling, some peaceful solitude, or any number of things that someone feels are most important to accomplish with the time they have remaining.

From today’s reading, we see clearly what Jesus’s priorities were in His last days. Jesus wanted to “love them to the end.” The way Jesus chose to show love to His disciples was to wash their feet. Jesus wanted to model this for His disciples, that out of everything He could have chosen to do in His last days, He chose to love and serve. This very much narrowed down for the disciples what really mattered to Jesus. They received His love, and in turn, were commissioned to go and do the same for the world around them.

This example wasn’t just aimed at guiding Jesus’s disciples. As we read this today, it reminds us that even to the very end, apart from loving God, loving others well is one of our utmost responsibilities. This was true in the last days of Jesus, and is still true today in our lives. Go love well, my friends.

Application:

1. How does Jesus’s example of showing love to His disciples compel you to live differently today?

2. What often keeps you from humbly loving and serving others around you?

3. What practical step can you take today to show love to those God has placed around you?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, Your example is so convicting about what matters most in my life. Jesus, I want to love others like You, but I need You to help me see what keeps me from doing this. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will lead me to take the steps I need to take in order to love and serve like You.

Devo Plus:

Read Matthew 7:24. Write down one action step you are going to take today to show someone around you the love of Jesus. Go take that step.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Explanation:

How the people of the church functioned and operated with each other was Paul’s number one concern in almost every letter he wrote. Here in Ephesians, he is speaking to how to deal with getting upset with each other. Earlier, in verse 26, he tells them, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Paul knows that anger, frustration, and disappointment are part of relationships, and knowing how to deal with them is the only way to have unity in the church and live life like Christ calls us to.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stood out to you in today’s passage?

2. How do you generally deal with frustration and disappointment in a relationship?

3. Based on today’s passage, what is one thing that you could do in your relationships to better walk through relational conflict?

Prayer:

Father, please help me to process my frustration with You first so that I can respond to the person who hurt me with graciousness and love. I know You loved me, even when I wasn’t that loveable. So, please help me to reflect You, as I live life alongside broken people and deal with the brokenness inside myself.

Devo Plus:

Read Ephesians 4-5:21

John 21:4-7, 15-17

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Explanation:

We see an incredible contrast between these two passages. In the first portion of our scripture, we see the love and devotion Peter has toward Jesus. And, even throughout Jesus’ time on Earth, Peter is often referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Peter was one of Jesus’ closest friends and most devoted disciples. But, in Jesus’ darkest hour, Peter betrays Him, declaring he never knew Him. As we see in the second portion of this passage, Jesus meets Peter with grace and love. Yes, Peter did have to face the consequences of his actions, but Jesus offers him grace, forgiveness, and a second chance. He didn’t turn His back on Peter but embraced him with love and forgiveness.

The truth is, at some point in our lives, we will all experience betrayal. It is a part of being in a broken world. It may be our closest friend, our spouse, a family member, or the like. So, what do we do with betrayal? We look to Jesus as our example. We have the tough conversations; we work through the pain; but just like Jesus, we work toward redemption and reconciliation. It is easier to show grace and love to others when we remember that we, too, need that grace often. Overcoming betrayal is hard, but when we do things God’s way, we discover that it is, indeed, better and for our good. When we work through the betrayal, our relationships are better, and God is honored. It is not the easy thing to do but is the better way that leads to a more abundant life and healthier relationships.

Application:

1. How have you been affected by betrayal in your life?

2. How do you typically handle betrayal?

3. What lesson can you learn from Jesus on how to handle betrayal?

4. Do you need to change how you handle the relationships in your life when there is betrayal?

Prayer Starter:

Dear God, I want to be more like You. I know in my life it has been difficult to forgive those who have betrayed me. Help me to be more like You and to offer grace when others hurt me or betray my trust. Help me to have the difficult conversations and to walk the hard road of redemption and reconciliation. Remind me that reconciling relationships and showing God’s love and grace to others is the better way to live. I don’t want to hold onto the bitterness I am experiencing, so please replace that bitterness with Your love and Your grace so that I may pour that out on the one who has betrayed me. Help me to forgive and to mend what has been broken. I give all of this to You. In Jesus’ name …Amen.

Devo Plus:

I encourage you today to think about that person who betrayed you, whom you have yet to forgive. Take some time today to pray specifically about that situation and ask God to help you mend the relationship. Then, take steps toward forgiveness and reconciliation.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

Explanation:

Irritability, we’ve all been there. Maybe, you get woken up at 3:00am one morning to the sound of an obnoxious, barking dog right outside your window. Maybe, you are stuck behind someone driving very slowly on your way to work, and you already know you are going to be late. Maybe, the copy machine at work is malfunctioning, and it seems to only be happening to you. Maybe, your washing machine won’t drain, or your toilet won’t flush. Maybe, while standing in the line at the grocery store, you keep getting kicked in the back of the leg by a child behind you throwing a fit. Maybe, it’s your kid. Sometimes, these things can just happen and can lead us to a place of irritability. These situations, understandably, can gnaw at us, but most often, these situations are only temporary. Then again, there are times when the irritability doesn’t seem to go away, even when the irritation is no longer around. We may find ourselves quick to lash out at others, quick to think negatively about every situation, and it seems like every interaction with others, every happenstance in life, is only making it worse. We may not be able to pinpoint what got us to this place, but we all know that the people around you are experiencing the brunt of the aftershock of your irritability.

When we find ourselves in this condition, it’s time for us to pause, evaluate, and be honest with ourselves enough to realize that there is something deeper going on. This isn’t simply an isolated case of “You have stubbed your toe.” There is a lingering feeling of irritability in your heart, and it is impacting how well you love others. We see in today’s reading that love “is not irritable”. We know from our own personal experiences that, when we are in a constant state of irritability, we are not living life to its fullest. Therefore, as we have explored throughout this entire series, we need to look to Jesus to help us find a new way of living, a better way of living. This isn’t achieved by simply willing it to happen. We need to seek reprieve by asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and by starting to have honest conversations with those that we trust around us. Seek these things and begin to live a life of love over a life of irritability.

Questions:

1. Describe a season when you have found yourself to be consistently irritated with life and others?

2. How did that affect your relationships with others?

3. Why is the pursuit of loving others more valuable than remaining in a state of irritability?

4. What steps do you need to take, starting now, to find health in this area?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, I want to love others around me well. I do find myself getting irritated at times, and this keeps me from loving others in a way that leads to life. Jesus, I need you to help me find healing in my heart and find others in my life that I can trust to share my brokenness with.

Devo Plus:

Read Psalm 37:8. Draw a diagram of how irritability can lead to sin. Show the progression of one level to the next and how it develops into doing something that is sinful.

God’s been teaching me something over the past few years: relationships are worth the work. Even as I’m typing those words out, I have the thought, “Does that make relationships sound bad?”. But then, I remember that we need to be reminded, myself included, that true relationships will have their share of tough seasons, and we can’t go into relationships thinking that it will always be easy. Sure, we have relationships that just seem to “flow” well and seem easier to manage than others. But even those relationships will have their moments where extra care is needed. When we put the work and effort into relationships and work through tough times, there can be more beauty and blessings on the other side than we ever knew was possible.

As people, we all get offended from time to time. So, what do we do when that offense is from someone we care about or are in a relationship with? My natural instinct is to not want to deal with the issue: sweep it under the rug or hope that the feelings go away. I’ve been learning that this way of thinking isn’t always the best thing to do. It’s not the healthy thing to do for a relationship. This doesn’t mean that every single issue in a relationship has to be confronted. We have to be wise in what we choose to address. If it’s an issue that seems to be influencing how we relate to the other person or it is affecting us in a negative way, bringing it to light can help us find health and clarity. The apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:12-13:

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

This is easier said than done! Remember how I said earlier that relationships take work….well they do! It’s work to deal with issues that have hurt us. It’s work to hear the other person’s side of the story or how they feel. It’s work to ask for forgiveness. It’s work to forgive. It’s work to be humble. It’s work to see what areas God may be calling us to change. It’s work to be patient with others as they try to change. Are you feeling my point?! Let’s think about the work that Jesus did for us so we can be reconciled to Him. He lived a blameless life and died a horrific death so we could be forgiven and be in relationship with Him. All of a sudden, our “work” doesn’t seem so difficult does it?

I’ve been on the other end of reconciled relationships, and I want to encourage you that it’s worth it. Working through issues, forgiving others, and asking for forgiveness isn’t fun, but God does something in our hearts and minds when we are willing to take these difficult steps. It doesn’t always turn out perfect, but God can still teach us things through the process. Relationships are worth the work!

Take some time this week to think about relationships in your life that are strained or broken. What is a first step that you can take toward health in those relationships? What is God calling you to do? I encourage you to pray for that person today and pray that God can give healing and restoration to the relationship. I’m praying for you!

Matthew 5:21-24

21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

Explanation:

When Jesus said, “But I tell you” he was not doing away with the Ten Commandments, he was giving a fuller understanding of why God made that law. Moses taught not to murder. Jesus taught not to become angry. Anger, in this case, refers to seething, brooding bitterness against someone. It is a dangerous emotion that threatens to leap out of control leading to violence, emotional hurt, increased mental stress, and spiritual damage because the anger festers in your heart. The religious leaders of that time read Moses’ words and patted themselves on the back because they had not murdered anyone. Yet, they were angry enough with Jesus that they soon would plot his death. Even though they wouldn’t physically execute Jesus murder, they had it in their heart. We miss the intent of God’s Word when we read His words for living, without processing the intent. Killing is a horrible sin, but anger is a terrible sin, too, because it violates God’s command to love. Unchecked anger keeps us from developing a spirit that is pleasing to God. Jesus emphasized practicing reconciliation, always! It was so important for abundant life that He is saying to do it before you go to church to worship Him. We cannot spiritually balance seething anger toward man and tender praise toward God. Reconciliation is urgent.

Application:

1. When have you kept God’s rules but closed your eyes to intent?

2. Have you ever been proud that you didn’t say what was really on your mind? Self-control is good, but God wants us to practice thought control as well. Jesus said we will be held accountable even for our attitudes.

3. Broken relationships are a slow leak on our spiritual health. What step could you take today toward reconciliation, if you are living with a broken relationship? We all have to own our part, as that is the only part we have control over. Ask God for illumination regarding your part.

4. Our attitude towards others reflects our relationship with God. If you are living with an unreconciled relationship, are you tempted to believe you can pull it off? Today’s passage conveys the emphasis and order Jesus put on reconciliation.

“Go be reconciled to that person, THEN come and offer your sacrifice to God.”

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, work in my heart today. Soften and enlighten my heart to practice diligent love and forgiveness. Help me let go of feelings of being slighted and help me focus on the hearts of others. Help me maintain a heart free of anger by helping me control my thoughts. Give me the courage to work on myself and free me from judging and becoming angry with others. I crave Your peace and know it comes through obedience. Help me in Jesus name, amen.

Devo Plus:

Mark 11:25

25 “ But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Explanation:

When Peter asked Jesus this question, he thought he was being generous. To Peter, one wouldn’t even fathom forgiving someone for doing something wrong 7 times, let alone the amount that Jesus was about to tell him. Jesus’ response was meant to floor Peter and the readers with the willingness to forgive and be gracious. It was a statement of radical graciousness, which coming from Jesus, was meant to be a representative of God’s generosity.

Jesus then takes His point to the next level with the parable of the servant. Jesus lays out the impossibility of being given so much grace and still holding onto unforgiveness yourself. Jesus wanted to make sure His followers knew that to experience such an exorbitant amount of grace and to fail to pass it along is a red flag that we truly don’t understand the gift we have been given.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stood out to you in this passage?

2. Spend 5 minutes writing a list of everything you can think of that Jesus has forgiven you for. Reflect on how gracious He has been with you.

3. Why do you feel it is so difficult to forgive when someone wrongs you?

Prayer:

Jesus, help me to see the depth of love You have for me and the forgiveness You have given to me. Help me to love others the way that You have loved me, and where I need to give others grace, help me to remember how You gave it to me.

Devo Plus:

Luke 7:36-50

Colossians 3:12-14

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Explanation:

God created us each uniquely and gave us free will that allows us to make decisions, form opinions, and have relationships with other humans. Unfortunately, we sometimes don’t handle these decisions and opinions carefully, and can hurt each other as a result. Relationships are fractured, and sometimes the hurts are buried so deeply that they turn into hardness or bitterness in our hearts. If we aren’t careful, we fall into a cycle of negativity that steals our joy and draws us away from God.

In this scripture, we are given specific direction for how we are to behave when we’ve been wronged (and even before we have the opportunity to be wronged). First, we are reminded that God chose us. We are His. That’s no small order. If I’m God’s child, I need to behave like I am! Instead of frustration, anger, and bitterness, I’m supposed to replace that with things like mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Let’s stop right there and evaluate. Without even a thought of the other person in the relationship, I know that I have some work to do. Patience instead of frustration? Mercy instead of rage? There are days I struggle to be patient and compassionate with myself, let alone other people. Yet there is still more that we are called to do in this passage—“make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you.” (TLB translation)

God has been merciful and forgiving and expects the same from us. We are called to work out the issues with our offend”. We are tasked with forgiving them, not carrying their offense in our back pocket or remembering it for the remainder of our time on Earth. Finally, the passage ends with a “zinger” for all of us who need work in this area—"clothe yourselves in love, which binds everything together.’ I am once again thankful for a merciful God who knows me and all of my faults. I am thankful that as I try to change my reactions from frustration and anger to mercy and love, He sees me and meets me in this place. He knows my desire to put love first, but also my human nature to react in a way that isn’t always the most loving.

Application:

1. Evaluate your life at this moment. Are there broken relationships that you are carrying grievances instead of forgiving them?

2. Of the behaviors that we are instructed to use in relationships (compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience and forgiveness), which one do you struggle with the most?

Prayer Prompts:

-Ask God to help you release a grievance that you may have toward someone else. Ask for healing in that relationship and for God to show you how to reconcile the feelings that you are dealing with. Ask Him to help you in the behavior that you struggle with the most. Allow Him to work in your heart to bring these behaviors to the forefront so that they are your FIRST reaction and not an afterthought.

Devo Plus: Read Galatians 5:22-23, and reflect on how the fruits of the spirit can help you resolve disagreements and conflict in relationships.

Romans 4:18-21 (ESV)

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

Explanation:

This passage is referring to Abraham and the promise God had made to him. God tells Abraham that he is going to be the father of many nations, and his offspring will be as many as the stars in the sky. Some key parts of this story are that Abraham and his wife are very old, past child-bearing age, and at this moment, they do not have any children. As humans, we would look at this with our limited understanding, and say the odds are against Abraham, that this promise almost seems impossible. But Abraham looks past all of that and trusts. Even though he has limited perspective, He trusts that God will be faithful to what He promised.

Often times, this plays out in our stories, too. God calls us, or He promises us things that look impossible. We doubt, and from our limited human understanding, question how it could ever be possible. But God is faithful to His promises. He will do what He says He is going to do. So even when the task at hand seems impossible to us, and it even feels like everything is working against us, we can stand in confidence. Just like Abraham, we can trust that God will, in fact, do what He says He is going to do.

Application:

1. In what ways have you struggled with doubt in your life?

2. What affect has doubt had on your relationship with God?

3. What are some ways you have seen God be faithful, even in moments when you have doubted?

4. How can stories of Abraham, and others you read about in the Bible, increase your faith and help you to doubt less?

Prayer Prompt:

God, I want my faith to be stronger than my doubt. Will You please help me to remember that You are faithful to Your promises, and will do what You promise? When doubt starts to creep in, remind me of Your goodness and Your faithfulness in the past, and help this give me the faith to keep moving forward toward the things you are calling me to do. I want to be obedient even when it doesn’t make sense. Help me look past my human limitations, and remember that You are bigger than any doubt I might face. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Devo Plus:

To read the story of God’s promise to Abraham, check out Genesis 15.

Matthew 21:18-22 (ESV)

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.

When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Explanation:

In James 1:6, we read that anyone who allows doubt to become a regular part of their thinking will be “like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” There is such instability in a life that is constantly wrestling with doubt. If given enough power, doubt can become something that controls how fully we function in life and how we relate to God. In contrast, we read in today’s scripture of a faith that is firm. We can be confused when we read these passages, because it may seem that Jesus is saying to never doubt. But if we read closely, Jesus is actually saying that a faith without doubting can produce monumental outcomes in our lives. This is the ideal, this is fullness of life, this is what we strive for…but this should not discourage us if this is not where we are at.

Doubt will exist at times, but we need to let God have access to that part of us. We need to get vulnerable with God and discover why the doubt exists to begin with. He is capable of getting us to a place where we, like Jesus, can see life through the lens of possibility rather than the lens of reservation. Jesus tells us there is something better…a life that is not tossed back and forth, but a life of stability and assurance of God’s goodness and power.

Application:

1. Have you ever experienced a life “tossed back and forth” by doubt?

2. What can commonly lead to your doubts?

3. How can doubts hinder your faith and the possibilities that Jesus communicates in today’s readings?

4. What doubts can you surrender to God today?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, thank You for showing me grace in my doubts. Jesus, I desire to have faith in place of my doubts. Holy Spirit, help me to discover the source of my doubts, and walk like you…in faith.

Devo Plus:

Read James 1:6-8, and write down three statements describing what a life of doubt looks like.