Bible League: Living His Word Jesus answered, "You don't know what I am doing now. But later you will understand."— John 13:7 ERV During an evening meal with His disciples, Jesus stood up and took off His robe. He wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a bowl, and began to wash the disciples' feet, drying their feet with the towel. When his turn came, Peter objected. He said, "Lord, you should not wash my feet" (John 13:6). That's when Jesus spoke the words of our verse for today: "You don't know what I am doing now. But later you will understand." In fact, a little later Jesus did give Peter and the disciples some explanation and understanding (John 13:12-17). He washed their feet to give them an example to follow. They should wash each other's feet. That is, they should serve each other just as Jesus served them. No doubt, as the years passed by, the disciples would come to an even greater understanding of why Jesus washed their feet. The Lord is doing things in our lives as well. He is a master artist and we are His masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). We don't always understand, however, why He does what He does. Maybe we are going through some hard times. Maybe some plans we had have been frustrated. Maybe a direction in life has opened up that we never expected or desired. It could be any of a number of things. The Lord is working on His masterpieces and the masterpieces don't always understand why, or even realize that it is the Lord that is doing the work. The promise of Jesus in our verse for today, however, is that someday we will understand. Someday it will all make sense. We may come to understand that the hard times we went through were meant as discipline from the Lord that was for our own good. We may finally realize that the plans we had would have been a disaster if we were allowed to follow through with them. Someday, we may see that the new direction that opened up was the best thing that could have ever happened to us. The point is, we may not fully understand what the Lord is doing in our lives now, but we should trust Him anyway. We should trust Him that what He is doing is for our good. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingZechariah 7, 8, 9 Zechariah 7 -- Execute true judgment, and show kindness, instead of mere fasting NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 8 -- The Coming Restoration of Jerusalem; Encouragement to Build the Temple NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Zechariah 9 -- Prophecies against Neighboring Nations; Rejoice, daughter of Zion, your King comes to you! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Revelation 19 Revelation 19 -- The Four Hallelujah's; Christ the Rider on the White Horse NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.Insight We should not become lazy and complacent because Christ has not yet returned. Instead, we should live in eager expectation of his coming. Challenge What would you like to be doing when Christ returns? That is how you should be living each day. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Matthew 10:34 I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword.The Christian will be sure to make enemies. It will be one of his objects to make none; but if to do the right, and to believe the true, should cause him to lose every earthly friend, he will count it but a small loss, since his great Friend in heaven will be yet more friendly, and reveal himself to him more graciously than ever. O ye who have taken up his cross, know ye not what your Master said? "I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother; and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." Christ is the great Peacemaker; but before peace, he brings war. Where the light cometh, the darkness must retire. Where truth is, the lie must flee; or, if it abideth, there must be a stern conflict, for the truth cannot and will not lower its standard, and the lie must be trodden under foot. If you follow Christ, you shall have all the dogs of the world yelping at your heels. If you would live so as to stand the test of the last tribunal, depend upon it the world will not speak well of you. He who has the friendship of the world is an enemy to God; but if you are true and faithful to the Most High, men will resent your unflinching fidelity, since it is a testimony against their iniquities. Fearless of all consequences, you must do the right. You will need the courage of a lion unhesitatingly to pursue a course which shall turn your best friend into your fiercest foe; but for the love of Jesus you must thus be courageous. For the truth's sake to hazard reputation and affection, is such a deed that to do it constantly you will need a degree of moral principle which only the Spirit of God can work in you; yet turn not your back like a coward, but play the man. Follow right manfully in your Master's steps, for he has traversed this rough way before you. Better a brief warfare and eternal rest, than false peace and everlasting torment. Daily Light on the Daily Path John 12:21 these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."Isaiah 26:8 Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls. Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Hebrews 12:1,2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, • fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. Philippians 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 1 John 3:2,3 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. • And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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