Trouble viewing this message?  Go here to read it online.
Daily Encouragement Net
"Encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13).
A daily, Bible-based perspective of
hope, encouragement and exhortation.

Email subscription       Listen       Print version

Monday, March 14, 2005

"Service and Humility"

"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"  (John 13:14,15).

One  of  the great joys of ministry is conducting a wedding. Several  years ago I had the privilege of attending  a  25th anniversary celebration for the first couple I married. They are  still  going  strong and their oldest daughter  is  now completing  her Bible College training. I can  reminisce  on weddings  I  have  performed through the years  and  what  a blessing  to stay in contact with many of them and  see  the various fruits of a blessed marriage.

On  Saturday  I  conducted a wedding for  an  earnest  young couple who requested an element in their service that I  had never  seen before. They washed each other's feet as a  part of   the  ceremony.  It  was  a  touching  scene  and   very illustrative of servanthood.  Some share communion at  their weddings  which  is  also a meaningful witness  of  Christ's sacrifice for us.

As  they prepared for their footwashing I explained that  it is a wonderful symbol of humility and servanthood. Those are two  qualities needed in marriage and all relationships, for that matter.

Prior  to  His death Jesus washed the disciples'  feet.   He then  instructed  them to wash one another's  feet.  Various church  traditions understand this in different  ways.  Some believe it should be understood as a general call to serving one  another in humility without necessarily practicing  the literal  footwashing. The church I now attend has an  annual service  on  the  Thursday before Easter when  we  wash  one another's  feet and celebrate communion which can  be  quite moving.   I have two great memories of footwashing  services in  the  churches I pastored and I will share  one  of  them tomorrow.

Today,  though,  I  want to encourage my  believing  friends wherever  you are to consider our Lord's call to  serve  one another   in  humility  as  our  Lord  Jesus  so  powerfully demonstrated!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen C. Weber

I  have had several people comment on the wedding service  I use. I'll share it here as a template for any interested. It is a compilation from many sources and of course has several unique  elements  requested  by  the  couple  including  the footwashing.  One aspect that I have added is a  very  clear reinforcement of the Biblical design of marriage.
Wedding Service


Two practical notes:
  1) A  reminder  that the delivery time of  these  daily message will vary. I could prepare them ahead and place them on an automatic schedule but choose not to do so. I want them to be a fresh word of encouragement and as I click the "send  now"  button I pray that it will be a  blessing. Although I get up around 6:00 each morning the preparation time varies. Some mornings, such as today, I have an early meeting as well. And of course I get the interruptions such as a phone call! I aim to have it out as early as I can, but the additional html formatting now adds more time as well.
  2)   This is always in many ways a rush transcript and thus subject to change. Although I read it over several times and when possible Brooksyne does as well, we still miss stuff.  Today I had initially had "conduct a weeding" and of course the  spellchecker doesn't catch that.  So if you see  a misspelled word or other improper usage, please grin and bear it!


ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Support - Is this ministry a blessing to you? Your support is needed and appreciated.
Home     About Us     Archives    Listen (stream)     MP3 (download)    Print version  
Join: To receive the "Daily Encouragement" e-mail devotional merely send a blank e-mail to this address.  Or if you prefer use our online web form.
(Some ISPs now use e-mail filtering software that allows you to add e-mail addresses to your 'buddy', 'safe', or 'approved' list.  To insure delivery please add our address to this list.)
Privacy Statement: Your e-mail address is held in strict confidence in a password-protected mail list and is not used for any other purpose but this daily encouragement.  You may easily unsubscribe at any time.
RSS: To subscribe to RSS feed enter this url into your feed reader: http://mail.byrss.com/pages/35149.xml
Leave: To cancel your address from this mailing list merely send a blank email to the failsafe "leave" address below.
(To change addresses cancel old address and then join again using your new address.)
Weekly Version: The weekly version is comprised of the devotionals from the week and mailed out in a single email on Friday. To receive the weekly version, send a blank email to this address.
 
Pass it on! - If you find this email devotional perspective to be a blessing please pass it on! I do request that you keep the copyright and subscription information intact and place a personal note above it. Please do not send it regularly to the same address unless you are sure they want to receive it. After all anyone can join if they desire! I specifically request that this material not be forwarded to a group list, since many times these types of unsolicited group forwards are unwanted and an annoyance. If you received this but don't know how, it has probably been passed on to you by a friend. You are not subscribed to this list unless your specific email address is at the very bottom footer. Also note the print link for a print ready page. Here are some other ideas to use this ministry in conjunction with your ministry.
 
How to become a child of God
 
Your comments are welcome! If you are the original recipient (a member of the mailing list) merely reply to this email. If not please visit this webpage. I sure appreciate the input and read each comment and am so often encouraged.  However due to the volume of email I receive I am not necessarily able to reply personally to each one. I regret this since often readers will share a particular need or have a specific question. I certainly do pray when I receive a prayer request and often my wife Brooksyne joins me.


Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
 
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

© Copyright 2005 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved

Daily Encouragement Net - PO Box 714 - Mount Joy, PA 17552

"Living today anchored in God's solid foundation"