Thought for April 26

 History:

• 1514: Copernicus makes his first observations of Saturn
• 1564: William Shakespeare baptized
• 1654: Jews are expelled from Brazil
• 1835: Chopin's "Grand Pololaise Brillante" premiers
• 1859: First successful use of the insanity defense in the U.S.-Dan Sickles acquitted of murder
• 1865: Army of Tennessee surrenders in NC
• 1877: Minnesota is stricken with a plaque of locusts. Governor calls for a day of prayer. For 2 days warm weather continues to cause locusts to hatch while scoffers make fun of prayer---BUT on the 4th day, a late freeze kills them all. A chapel in Cold Spring MN commemorates God's answered prayer
• 1920: First Olympic hockey game
• 1933: Jewish students barred from schools in Germany
• 1941: First organ at a baseball game--Cubs
• 1954: First mass inoculations with the Salk vaccine
• 1986: Nuclear reactor explodes at Chernobyl
• 2018: Bill Cosby found guilty of sexual assault
• 2019: 23.1% list "no religion" in answer to survey question--most common response
• Born: Marcus Aurelius, Muhammad, John James Audubon, Frederick Law Olmstead [Central Park, Biltmore House, Druid Hills, Chicago World's Fair landscape architect], Charles Richter [Richter Scale], I.M. Pei, Carol Burnett, Duane Eddy, Donna De Varona, Jet Li, Melania Trump
• Died: John Wilkes Booth, Gypsy Rose Lee, Count Basie, Broderick Crawford, Lucille Ball, George Jones

Thought:

Reading John13:1-11 today. I have underlined the word "knowing" in verses 1 and 3. This is a familiar story of Jesus washing the disciples feet. But today, I am paying special attention to the word "knowing." What did Jesus know before He washed His disciples feet?

• He knew that His hour had come. The hour for Him to depart to the Father. Think about today--what if today your hour has come? We are told to live every day as if it was our last, as if it is the day of Christ's return. He told us to be alert and ready, fully prepared for His coming. He taught several parables to make sure we understand the importance of being ready. This makes me ask--Larry, are you ready? Are you ready for His coming? Are you ready if today He calls you home? These are critical questions; but, I also ask myself, Larry, are you ready, are you alert for the hour that Jesus has for you today--Are you paying attention for opportunities to witness, serve, praise, thank, encourage, comfort, help, bless? Look at what Jesus says He had been doing---He loved His own to the end. So maybe the question for me is, Larry are you ready to love His sheep until the end?
• He knew that the Father had given all things into His hands. Here is Jesus near to His betrayal, rejection, crucifixion, death--but knowing that all things were in His hands. Jesus had all power, all authority, all knowledge, all wisdom---and yet chose obedience. 
• He knew where He was from and where He was going. Wow! We often meet someone new and ask, where are you from? Or we meet someone and ask, where are you going? Jesus knew the answer to these questions. Today, I ask myself--what would you say in response to those questions. Well, I was born and raised in Atlanta, lived in Nashville for most of my life. Going no where fast. Jesus knew His origin and knew His destination. Or would I say, knitted together in my mother's womb by God who knew me before I was born and going home to be with Him forever. 

Now with that knowledge, what did Jesus do? He washed the disciples feet. He told them His body was broken for them and His blood would be shed for them. He was the atoning sacrifice for them. What can I learn from this--I I have been given this hour, day, week; and if I know that I am an ambassador for the One who has all things in His hands; and if I really know where I am from and where I am going---then, I serve and sacrifice for His glory. Lord, help me follow your example today.

Blessings

Larry