A Life Sentence or a Life of Service?

I could feel the sweat slowly trickling down my back, soaking the top of my shorts. My face felt like it was going to crack from the effort of keeping a smile pasted on my face. The constant, steady stream of words felt like the slow, drip, drip, drip of water torture prisoners experience being held captive by the enemy.

No one told me there would be days when I would feel like I was serving a life sentence. I felt myself slipping and fading into a shadow of who I had been. No one told me when I became a mother, there would be days I started a game of hide-n-seek, hoping no one would find my hiding place.  
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Can anyone else relate, or am I the only mom who sometimes sits in a puddle of tears at the end of the day? Crying out for Jesus, clinging to the hem of his robe to keep my head above water. As I cling to Him and allow His peace to flow over me, He gently reminds me that it isn’t a life sentence but a life of sacrificial love.

Then I’m reminded Jesus kneels at my feet, wiping away every tear. I am overwhelmed with His love. As I allow my heart to settle, I can see Jesus sharing the last meal with his disciples, His students. I see these men that have left all they had and followed him.
I see the remains of the meal still on the table. Jesus takes off his outer clothing, a picture of his humanity, and he wraps a towel of love around his waist. 

He kneels and washes the feet of his disciples. 
Not feet that were already clean, but feet that had walked with Him for three years. 
Feet that had carried the Father’s message. 
Feet that had witnessed blind men see again. Dead men live again.
They watched as the Son of God showed them how to love through serving. 
He opened their ears to hear the cries of a broken world.

He knelt and began washing the feet of all the disciples. Peter, who would deny him. Thomas would doubt him. Judas who would betray him. Knowing that his time was coming to an end, Jesus took the time to show the heart of true leadership. Even as Jesus spent his last moments with his messengers, he taught them the most valuable lesson of all. When you are kneeling to serve others, your heart beats with the love God has for us, His children.

When I am kneeling to serve, I look up and see Imago Dei, the very image of God, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13:15-16).

Jesus spent his time equipping the next generation to carry the Gospel, the Good News of the Father’s great love for us. As I shift my perspective from a life sentence to a life of serving future leaders, I don’t have to hide anymore.

Friend, if you feel trapped today, take a moment, kneel, and look up into the glorious face of God. He is your refuge and strength. He will carry you through.

“‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Mark 10:45 (NIV)

About the Author

Hi, I'm Nancy Ehlinger. I live with my husband, Roderick, in North Florida close to a beautiful beach which is my happy place. We have five children, eight grandchildren, a dog, a bird, and a bearded dragon. I am passionate about equipping women to live life on mission. Connect with me at nancyehlinger.wordpress.com.