John 13:31-38
After Judas had gone, Jesus said:
Now the Son of Man will be given glory, and he will bring glory to God. Then, after God is given glory because of him, God will bring glory to him, and God will do it very soon.
My children, I will be with you for only a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, “You cannot go where I am going.” But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “You can’t go with me now, but later on you will.”
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I go with you now? I would die for you!”
“Would you really die for me?” Jesus asked. “I tell you for certain before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t even know me.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, I put some laundry in the washer, and I was immediately struck by how grateful I am for a washing machine – and air conditioning. Most of our state is under an excessive heat warning for the next few days. I looked at a wooden paddle that hangs over the window in our laundry room. It belonged to my paternal grandparents, and they used it to stir laundry that literally boiled over an open flame in a cast iron wash pot (which now houses brilliant red begonias in our back yard). My grandmother Polly told me she washed the clothing with lye soap.
Today, we pop a load of laundry into an electric washing machine with a little dissolvable pillow of laundry detergent, and about a half hour to ninety minutes later, the cycle is done and ready for a clothes dryer. Yes, we could set up a clothesline outdoors and air dry our wash…but we would need our own shower today by the time we hung it on the line! So, I am truly thankful that our house is always comfortable – cool in summer, warm in winter, and just right in every season. Would I be as grateful were the HVAC unit to malfunction – or our power failed for some reason? Maybe…but then again, if this lasted very long, I would probably begin to grumble.
I share this to say that there are so many things we take for granted in our daily lives…and often, Jesus is among them. We will never fully appreciate His love and care for us. We will never truly be as grateful as we should for the One who washed the feet of a man He knew would betray Him and set things in motion for a horrific beating – and crucifixion. As modern-day “Peters” who deny or disappoint God in countless ways both great and small, we will never fully regard His unconditional love and care – and His gift of Jesus – to the degree that is merited.
We can never be humble enough, faithful enough, or grateful enough for all that God has done for us – and all He continues to do each day. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Talk is cheap, as Peter found out. He claimed that he would die for Jesus mere hours before denying three times that he even knew Him. And you and I are no better or more sincere. When push comes to shove, we often cave – and at the very least, wring our hands, wail and wonder…“Why, God, WHY?!”
Today is the day to count our blessings…to thank God for everything from air-conditioned homes to modern conveniences that make everyday household chores so much easier. More importantly, this is the day to humbly tell God how much we love Him…and to renew our commitment to always serve Him in all things. I can already hear God say, “No, you won’t.” I also hear Him saying, “But, I appreciate the effort. And I love you more than you can imagine.” Hallelujah! Praise GOD! Alleluia, and Amen!
©2024 Debbie Robus
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