Jesus, You are
Jesus, You were
Jesus, You will always be
A perfect servant to us
A perfect servant to death
Even death on a cross
Show us the picture of Your face
Give us the measure of your grace
Reveal the love of the Father
Put within us tenderness
Release from us all selfishness
We are Yours
Give us hearts
Of servants
Lord Jesus, as I listen to this song by Shane and Shane, so many pictures flood my mind. You are past, present, and future. You are never ending. You are the perfect servant. The perfect picture of one who put others above Yourself. Not just one person, but all people. Everyone. Even those who were killing You. You prayed that Your death, the cup of suffering would pass and no longer be required of You. But it was. And you drank it. You said You came to serve, not to be served. You came for the sick, not the healthy. For the needy. To serve them. To serve us. To serve me.
God, lately I have struggled with wanting to serve others in ways that I don't like. In ways that are uncomfortable or interrupt my time. In ways that hurt. In ways that are humbling. But Jesus, You are the picture of the man who did them anyway. Death. On a cross. You washed dirty feet. You gave up sleep to be with Your Father. You relented alone time to speak to the people. To heal people. To correct them. To clean people up. You gave me life in Your death. A perfect servant. Doing even what You didn't want to do. I read the Bible and You talk about serving others. Being humble. Yet still, I must ask myself the question. Why do I want to be a servant? Do I want to serve others and put them above myself because I am a good Christian? Because it's what I'm supposed to do? Or should I be a servant to others because I want to be like You?
The pictures that flood my mind…
“Give us the picture of Your face” – I see You, Jesus. Talking to people. A face of gentleness. Kindness. Acceptance. Picturing You holding faces in Your hands to look straight into their eyes. Laughing with others. Closing your eyes to block out the world around so you can focus on You and the Father alone, even if only for a moment. Tired. Energetic. A face set like a flint towards Jerusalem… a man on a mission. Even an unrecognizable face after You were beaten.
“Show us the measure of Your grace” – You are gracious to all people in all of their interruptions to You. To young and old, sick and healthy, faithful and unfaithful. You give Your time. It never runs out. To measure Your grace is impossible. Your grace isn't measured in numbers. It's measured in people… and that's all I see. Lots and lots of people. Grace to all of them. God, I pray that I would serve all people. Have grace on all people. That I would not serve with limits. You certainly didn't. I see Your grace on all people. The crowds pressing in on You. And still… grace. Their faults. My faults. And still… grace. This is Your measure – unlimited.
“Reveal the love of the Father” – You are the earthly actions for the Father's deeds. Of what he does. But with hands and feet. What he's been doing since He created people. But we just couldn't touch Him. Feel Him. See Him. But You are the body. The love of the Father in physical form. God, who does not need to serve anyone. Who is King and Conqueror. Who has servants of His own. Yet who serves. But not out of duty… out of love. A Father who knows that the way to call His child up is to serve him or her. By showing me how to serve. I can follow Your example to serve others. Out of love. You serve me because You love me. God, I pray that I would serve others because You love them. Because I love them. How could I not want to love the people You love? And You showed Your love by serving.
“Put within us tenderness, release from us all selfishness” – I picture You, Jesus, walking up to me as I stand there. Alone. You touch my heart with Your hand and something flows into me. And through me. You also take something out of me. Nothing tangible. But you take it out of my heart. With a slight touch. You throw it away from me. What You insert is tenderness. Removed is selfishness. God, will I ever not be selfish? I think about myself so much. I want things for myself often more than I want them for other people. Shane and Shane sing the words “release from us”… as if we are imprisoned to it. Often, I feel like I am. A voluntary prison of selfishness that I rarely even try to break free from. I hardly even notice my prison. There are no chains. But it's real. 'Me'. 'I'. These two words are predominate in my thoughts. Lord, release me from this voluntary prison of selfishness. That I may freely serve others with love. That my focus is less inward, and more outward.
“We'll consider them better.” – It would be better. To love. Give grace. Be tender. Not selfish. Serve. This is better. This is Jesus.
God, You have spoken deep, humbling truths to me today. Thank you. You have spoken so I may hear You, listen and be changed. God, I pray not to be like the man who saw his reflection in the mirror then walked away and forgot what he looked like. May this day, this revelation, this time with You be life changing. Remind me, hourly, minutely if needed of who You are and that I offer myself to You. “We are Yours, give us hearts of servants.” I pray I would not serve out of duty, but out of a heart of love, grace, and humility. And when I do serve out of duty, bring me this nudge and redeem my motives. The joy of serving. I pray that my heart would be that of a servant, not only my hands. And I pray that my hands would actually serve. And not take the road most commonly traveled of letting everyone else serve me. Change my heart God. Release me from my prison of selfishness. I am Yours. Give me the heart of a servant. Like You.
