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IS PONDERING SERVICE
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The Real Justin Chandler is pondering service...to my wife.
I had a thought on Thursday. As I was scrubbing our floors in the kitchen of mud, finding that a Swiffer just wasn't quite efficient enough and finally having to resorting to "other measures" (a towel). As I was sitting there, I was thinking of the hundreds of times it feels like I've had to do that. The number of "rows" I've down with dry and wet Swiffer, the couches I've lint rolled and de-dog haired and everything else that comes with having two dogs and a house. It was a Thursday. Those should be a bit more restful.
I'm selfish.
This whole time I was thinking of all that "I" had done. Yet I hadn't thought any of how much my wife has done. I was thinking of the day of the week I was giving up, the "chores" I was doing and the ways in which I was helping to keep our house in order. I hadn't thought of the hundreds of times that my wife has served me. The hours she has put in at the church. The meetings she has attended. The events she hasn't attended to be a part of the youth ministry. The time she gives up on her day off on Sunday. And then, as if gently nudged, I was reminded.
Ephesians 5:25-33 (ESV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
It was as if I could feel Jesus giving me the nudge. I was there scrubbing the floor and all I could think about is:
John 13:1-20 (ESV)
1 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. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 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, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 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.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 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.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 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? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
And then I asked myself, do I really love my wife? I know from a planetary sense I do. But as Christ loved the Church, do I love my wife? Do I serve He like He serves us? Do I care for her as He cares for me? Do I love my wife like Jesus loves Justin?
The answer simply has to be no. If my first thought in serving was self-seeking, it doesn't seem I'm quite getting a hold of the message of Christ and His love for us. I don't quite understand what He means when He says He has served and loves me.
This passage has often been distorted because of the wife "submitting to her husband" but what wife wouldn't want to submit to her husband with a husband like that?! What wife wouldn't care, love and adore her husband if his first thought was this.
As I finished scrubbing, I couldn't help but think, it doesn't matter how many times. It doesn't matter how many requests. It doesn't matter how many favors or ways to help. It doesn't matter the convenience or inconvenience. All that matters is that I serve her.
Clean the dishes. Check.
Clean the house. Check .
Make the bed. Check.
Swiffer. Check.
Wet Swiffer. Check.
Typical man stuff.
...
...
...
...
I'm working on it.
The way my wife serves me as a loving and adoring partner in ministry should be reciporcated by a loving and adoring husband in our home. That's my plan.
And here I thought I was doing alright. Thanks be to Christ.
If He loved the Church like I love my wife, we wouldn't have a Church. But if I learn to love my wife as he love each of us, I'll have a power marriage that will conquer the universe. Sounds like a deal to me.
----------------
Now playing: Hillsong United - Arms Open Wide
I had a thought on Thursday. As I was scrubbing our floors in the kitchen of mud, finding that a Swiffer just wasn't quite efficient enough and finally having to resorting to "other measures" (a towel). As I was sitting there, I was thinking of the hundreds of times it feels like I've had to do that. The number of "rows" I've down with dry and wet Swiffer, the couches I've lint rolled and de-dog haired and everything else that comes with having two dogs and a house. It was a Thursday. Those should be a bit more restful.
I'm selfish.
This whole time I was thinking of all that "I" had done. Yet I hadn't thought any of how much my wife has done. I was thinking of the day of the week I was giving up, the "chores" I was doing and the ways in which I was helping to keep our house in order. I hadn't thought of the hundreds of times that my wife has served me. The hours she has put in at the church. The meetings she has attended. The events she hasn't attended to be a part of the youth ministry. The time she gives up on her day off on Sunday. And then, as if gently nudged, I was reminded.
Ephesians 5:25-33 (ESV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
It was as if I could feel Jesus giving me the nudge. I was there scrubbing the floor and all I could think about is:
John 13:1-20 (ESV)
1 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. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 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, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 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.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 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.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 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? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
And then I asked myself, do I really love my wife? I know from a planetary sense I do. But as Christ loved the Church, do I love my wife? Do I serve He like He serves us? Do I care for her as He cares for me? Do I love my wife like Jesus loves Justin?
The answer simply has to be no. If my first thought in serving was self-seeking, it doesn't seem I'm quite getting a hold of the message of Christ and His love for us. I don't quite understand what He means when He says He has served and loves me.
This passage has often been distorted because of the wife "submitting to her husband" but what wife wouldn't want to submit to her husband with a husband like that?! What wife wouldn't care, love and adore her husband if his first thought was this.
As I finished scrubbing, I couldn't help but think, it doesn't matter how many times. It doesn't matter how many requests. It doesn't matter how many favors or ways to help. It doesn't matter the convenience or inconvenience. All that matters is that I serve her.
Clean the dishes. Check.
Clean the house. Check .
Make the bed. Check.
Swiffer. Check.
Wet Swiffer. Check.
Typical man stuff.
...
...
...
...
I'm working on it.
The way my wife serves me as a loving and adoring partner in ministry should be reciporcated by a loving and adoring husband in our home. That's my plan.
And here I thought I was doing alright. Thanks be to Christ.
If He loved the Church like I love my wife, we wouldn't have a Church. But if I learn to love my wife as he love each of us, I'll have a power marriage that will conquer the universe. Sounds like a deal to me.
----------------
Now playing: Hillsong United - Arms Open Wide
