My amazing daughter and her wonderful husband came from Omaha for a quick visit this weekend. They had a wedding to be a part of in Bellingham. We were delighted! It was another chance to be with them. We happily picked them up at the airport and drove them where they needed to go. We were even invited to the wedding because my daughter has always been a great sharer of her friends. When they left in the wee hours of Sunday morning, they thanked us for everything. It was like thanking my lungs for breathing or my hands for feeding me. Of course! I love you! I love being with you!
This was over-laid in my mind with our scripture reading and sermon topic for the second Sunday of Lent. John 13 where Jesus washed His disciples feet. “What you will never wash my feet!” Peter impulsively shouts out. Jesus loved his disciples to the full extent. God loves the world to the full extent. Washing his disciples feet was not so hard for Jesus because he loved them. A greater and much harder sacrifice lay just ahead. Even though he agonized over it more than we can imagine in the garden, love won and Jesus picked up his cross and headed for the hill. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross.” We are his joy.