Isiah 60:1 - Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
God does not pick us up, we must rise of our own volition and there he will meet us. Chambers says:
We have to take the first step as if there is no God. It is no use to wait for God to help us. He will not; but immediately we arise we find He is there. Whenever God inspires, the initiative is a moral one.
If our plan is simply to wait around for God to start something supernaturally, we’ll be waiting a very long time. We must “Arise” and begin whatever it is we feel God is calling us to. When we step out in faith in this way, we will be amazed at how God will meet us there and help us continue the work once we start it.
Chambers primary message in today’s devotion, though, deals with “drudgery” – those “uttlerly mean grubby things” of the faith. He instructs us to read John 13 – the story of Christ washing the disciples feet. Our Lord and Savior placed a towel around his waist, poured a basin of water and washed the feet of his disciples. We must take ourselves back in time to fully realize what a dreadful job this must have been. These were men who wore sandals and walked along hot dusty roads everywhere they went – their feet were undoubtedly stinky and very dirty.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:13-17)
How many of us have considered certain jobs “below” our service? Sing on the worship team? Of course! Read scripture during the service? Sure! Lead the team to organize a building project? Absolutely! Clean the bathrooms this week because the regular janitor is on vacation? Um, I’m afraid I’m busy.
Several years ago, I went to a class at a church I attended briefly, and after the class they served a variety of snacks and beverages. After the class, I noticed that only one woman had stayed to clean up. I helped her pick up cups, wash dishes, clean coffee pots and put away chairs and tables. I wasn’t even a member of the church, yet not one other person of the 40 or so that attended the class thought to stay after and help clean up. Was that job just too small? How often do we like to have the recognition that comes with the “glory” jobs, but when it comes to the feet washing we think it just isn’t big enough for us.
Our Lord has shown us that even an act of drudgery can be forever transformed when done for the glory of God. Chambers says: When the Lord does a thing through us, He always transfigures it.
Let us never fail to take on the small, thankless jobs.
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