Day 12: Love on Its Knees

Written by Paul Kunkel

john 13:1-17

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

During the Last Supper, Jesus knew that his time was at hand.  He knew he would be betrayed, he knew what was in front of him was seemingly unbearable.  Despite what must have been a crushing sense of dread, he went forward, continued to lead, to teach and to show the way.

He continued to teach by word and example, and even overcame Peter’s resistance.  In the face of the most awful fate imaginable, he washed feet.

The Son of God, with access to unimaginable power and authority, humbly washed the feet of his disciples and friends.  It is hard to imagine what went through the minds of the disciples as this was going on.

When he was done, the Lord spoke to them, to make sure the lesson was not lost on them.

“…a servant is not greater than the master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.” (John 13:16).  This is a strong statement, and must have been confusing, but Jesus was clearly establishing he is the Son of God.

Jesus combined an incredible act of humility while teaching them verbally about humility.  It is easy to gain a sense of confidence and even moral superiority in our walk with God.   It is easy to feel blessed and righteous and look around at others who we think are not like us.

When we find ourselves doing that at church, at work, walking downtown, at the coffee shop, we must remember that Jesus himself, the Son of God, who had every right and authority to act like this, washed feet.

Prayer Prompts:

• Pray that God would help you to follow in his example and “wash the feet” of those around me and those I encounter.

• Ask for God’s help to keep His words in our heart, and humbly serve others as Jesus showed us. May we learn what it looks like to serve others with genuine joy and humility.

Day 11: A Life That Bears Fruit

Written by Jana Fuljer

john 12:20-26

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

What does a fruitful life mean to you? Does it mean being productive with visible results, developing good character, or simply being a good person? In our culture, fruitfulness is often measured by success, comfort, or achievement. But Jesus presents a very different picture. I believe He is saying that to truly experience a fruitful life, we must first die to self.

Jesus compares our lives to a grain of wheat. As long as the grain remains safe and untouched, it stays alone. But when it falls into the ground and dies, it produces much fruit. In the same way, a life centered on self-preservation—protecting our comfort, desires, and control—cannot produce the kind of fruit that glorifies God. This is why Jesus speaks about “hating” one’s life in this world. He is not calling us to self-destruction, but to a surrender of selfish, sinful, and earthly desires that keep us from fully following Him.

This is easy to say, but very difficult to live out. How does one actually die to self in everyday life?

We all struggle with different sins and selfish desires. Often, dying to self looks less like a dramatic moment and more like a series of painful, humbling choices. When my husband and I moved to California 25 years ago, we had very little understanding of what self-sacrifice truly meant. We were new to this country and struggling financially. When credit card offers started arriving in the mail, they seemed like an easy solution. Everyone was doing it, so why not us? We convinced ourselves we would pay everything off quickly.

That never happened. Before we realized it, we were buried in debt and felt trapped with no clear way out. In our desperation, we prayed and asked God for help—and He answered. He brought friends from church into our lives who invited us to a financial course that offered practical, biblical solutions. But the way out was painful. It required sacrifice.

We had to sell one of our cars and share just one. We canceled TV and gym memberships. We tightened our budget in ways that felt uncomfortable and restrictive. It was a difficult season, but God walked with us through it. Looking back, that season produced fruit we could not see at the time. Not only did we learn how to handle money wisely, but we also became better stewards of everything God entrusted to us. Our faith grew stronger, and we learned to trust God rather than ourselves.

This passage from John 12 takes place after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, just days before His crucifixion. The crowds were celebrating, but Jesus was preparing for the cross. His references to death become more frequent, and the urgency of His words is unmistakable. He knew His time was short, and He wanted His followers to understand that true glory comes through surrender.

A fruitful life, according to Jesus, is not about avoiding hardship or protecting ourselves at all costs. It is about following Him, even when it requires letting go of comfort, control, and personal desires. The promise is that when we do, God brings life out of what we surrender. What dies in obedience is never wasted—it becomes the very seed God uses to produce lasting fruit.

Prayer Prompts:

• Pray for God to show you the areas of your life where you are holding on too tightly. Ask for the humility and courage to surrender to God, trusting that what we lay down in obedience will produce fruit for God’s glory.

• Ask for help to embrace a life that dies to self and lives for God. Pray that when sacrifice feels painful or costly, that God would remind you that God is always at work, even when you cannot see the fruit yet.

Day 10: The King Arrives

Written by Brandon Picone

Matthew 21:1-11

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

It certainly sounds crazy when Jesus tells his disciples that if anyone asks why they need the donkey, say, “The Lord has need of it.” Hard to imagine taking a bike from a random porch and using that same line. Yet in our own lives, God has a way of asking us to have faith and walk out on the water to meet Him. He has the power to open any door or change any heart. He does not need us to accomplish His plans, but He takes joy in inviting us to build and accomplish His plans with Him.

Matthew 21 is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. The reference to Israel as the Daughter of Zion implies a special covenantal relationship with God. We are children of God, vulnerable yet protected, who receive tender care even in times of judgment. For those with children, think about the great lengths we go to love and protect them. Now imagine how much further our all-powerful God will go to love and protect His children.

The laying of cloaks and branches on the ground was a symbolic gesture to honor kings and conquerors. The crowd recognized the prophecies in Scripture and believed Jesus was the Son of David and that He came in the name of the Lord. However, they still referred to him as the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee (a small, poor town). They expected the Messiah to be a powerful King and conqueror, not a servant.

It’s amazing that Jesus—being seemingly the opposite—could cause such massive ripples and leave the biggest impact in human history. The Bible is full of stories about the most unlikely of heroes. God loves to use those who society may view as a failure or outcast and change the world. He loves to take our biggest hurts and failures and use them for His glory.

Jesus chose to gradually reveal his identity throughout his ministry via miracles, teachings, fulfilled prophecies, and conversations. We see this gradual revelation evidenced daily in our own lives. We see God’s love, grace, and sovereignty revealed through our own trials, tribulations, and recognition of immense love and grace that we receive undeservedly.

In Luke 7:47 Jesus said that “whoever is forgiven little, loves little.” Every day when I look at my wife and my kids, seeing their smiles, hugging them, I am overwhelmed by God’s love and grace. Although we may not always see huge miracles like the ones Jesus performed, we can recognize the little miracles that God does for us every day.

Prayer Prompts:

• Ask God to help you see the pride that is in your life, and ask for a heart of humility, service, and love for others.

• Pray that the Lord would continue to reveal himself to you, and that he would change your heart and desires to be more like his.