Hello everyone!
For those of you who aren't quite sure what I'm doing this summer and why I have a blog, or for those who just happened upon this blog by chance (just know that it definitely wasn't by chance), here is a brief explanation. This summer I'm doing a missions trip called Youth Hostel Ministry (YHM) and will be traveling around hostels in Europe for 2 months on a team of 4 people (me, Jeff, Justin and Jen), sharing the great news of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection! We will be minstering to the hostel community of Europe, where people often go to find answers to life, run away from home, or just travel the world. This blog will be my account of what we do this summer, who we meet, and all of the incredible things that will happen.
Ok, so the beginning. Yesterday we all met at our school to do final orienation things. We were all exhausted when we arrived, some of us had to wake up as early as 2 or 3am, but it was a thrill to meet everyone in the airport, giving us a taste of what it's going to be like in Europe (especially during the midsummer retreat). The most important things that we did last night, besides eating delicious food and hanging out, was separating as teams and washing each other's feet. I knew there was going to be some foot washing before it happened, and to be honest, I'm not a feet happy feet loving kind of person. I mean, I'm not a total weirdo when it comes to feet, but I would just prefer to refrain from touching something that gets sweaty, dirty, walks on the ground, and is potentially a practical petri dish for disease and bacteria. Then one of our leaders began reading John 13 about how Jesus washed his disciples feet. As God, he stooped down to the position of a servant and served his own disciples. "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 antoehr'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 13:12-17) At that point, the perspective shifted. Don't you love it when that happens? The foot washing practice shifted from an unwanted foot-interaction to an action of love, servanthood and humility. I guess that was a kick in the pants, too. Jesus was the last person who should have been washing the feet of lowly fishermen and tax collectors, yet he lowered himself, giving an example of we should be doing. How difficult should it be for us if the King, God himself, did it first?
So here I go. Earlier in the year I had prayed that God would grow me. What a dangerous prayer. Opportunity abounds to grow and have perspective changes, and the first one already came. Humility. I think that's one of the Biblical concepts that can be thrown into a dark corner and forgotten about, perhaps because it's such a hard thing to attain and such a challenging thing to keep to. But we are called to it, nonetheless.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death -
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:6-11
So our flight is tonight and we'll be in Europe soon enough. Please keep us in your prayers as we go off on this grand adventure!
No comments:
Post a Comment