The Hands and Feet of Jesus.  By Denise Dright.

“We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!”  – Ephesians 2:10 TPT

To Work the Work of God is to BE the Hands and Feet of Jesus  Reference: 1Cor.12:14,15,18,19 ESV  ( One body with Many Members )

As we understand the book of Corinthians, Paul addresses the Corinthian Church. I want to direct our thoughts especially on the following scriptures.

1Cor.12:14-

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many.”

1Cor.12:15 –

“Because I am not a hand does not mean I do not belong to the body. Being just one part of the body does not make me any less a part of the body.”

1Cor.12:18-

“But as it is, God arranged members in the body, each of them, as he chose.”

1 Cor.12:20

“As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”

I’m not going to overlook that God has appointed the body to serve in many areas for the church because many of us serve in various ministries for God’s Kingdom here on earth.

As The One Who Serves:

As children (people) of God our Father, it’s a privilege, there’s fulfillment that comes only from God. While carrying out God’s great commission, we share the love God has lavished on us with others, and that love draws them to Him. I love how being filled with such a great treasure for one purpose is to be spilled out.

Paul says in Acts 20:33-35 NLT:

“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes.  You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 

We as the children (people) of God have committed ourselves for His service. It’s wonderful that we, his people, start out in the service of the Lord, but we have been called not for the short term, but a long-term commitment to the service of the Lord. I’m reminded by this paraphrasing of 2 Tim.1:9 –

“He, saved us, called us with a holy calling, not according to our work but according to his own purpose and grace.”

Jeremiah 29:11 paraphrasing,

“God knows the future and his plans for us are good and full. For me He has much, much for to do and He is with me.”

The 1949 Webster Dictionary defines the word Server this way:

“the act of serving God; spiritual obedience, reverence and love.”

What joy and pleasure it is serving Jesus.

“Put your heart and soul into every activity you so, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. 24. For we know that we will receive a reward an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord Yahweh, the Anointed One!” – Colossians 3:23-24 TPT

Key Aspects of Servanthood:

• Putting others first
• Humility
• Willing service
• Empathy and awareness
• Accountability
• Growth and development
• And the joy of the Lord

The Hands and Feet of Jesus:

The commentaries shared:

Matt.20:28 TPT,

“For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served but to serve and give his life for the salvation of many.”

Mark 10:45,

“For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served but to serve.”

The Lesson from John 13:1-17:

Jesus was the perfect model servant, and he showed his servant attitude to his disciples. Our God while in the flesh was a hands-on servant, washing the feet of his disciples, willingly humbling himself.  We -his followers- must also be servants, willing to serve in any way that glorifies God.

I want you to picture this word in action:

The word effortlessly came into my spirit after reading John 13, so I looked up the word which means in a way that shows little or no effort, appearing very easy, smooth or natural. It implies that a task or quality is achieved with great ease and grace, almost as if it requires no struggle or difficulty.

Effortless breakdown: natural/instinctive; it can also describe a quality someone possesses naturally, without having to learn or work at it.

Synonyms; readily; implies a willingness and lack of hesitation

Matt. 23:11   Jesus shared this with the crowd and his disciples,

“The greatest among you must be a servant.”

Commentary reads:  Greatness comes from serving God and helping people without regard for personal benefit or advancement. Jesus came as a servant.

John12:26 states that anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

Luke 10 tells us the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha. (Please read this if you haven’t already to better understand what I say next.)

Speaking about myself, I’m always examining myself first, my ways, my desires, my goals, for as a Martha, I was groomed at a young age to work hard to finish well.  As for a Mary, that wasn’t part of my upbringing. I’ve read and reread the story of Martha and Mary and what I found was profound; I had over-looked who came first and what and who came second. But most of all when to labor and when to rest.

Revelations 3:20 TPT

“Behold, I’m standing at the door, Knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me.”

Martha, being the head of the household, the responsibility of opening the door was very timely for her, due to others being about their duties. There was an invitation right there given to her to sit and not serve him, but to be at his feet.  However, in Mary’s joy, she “siezes” her opportunity to sit at his feet at once.

Martha opened her home to him and welcomed him in, not as a stranger to her, but that day Jesus came not as a guest, but he came to serve all who  wanted to sit, hear and feast on every word he spoke. (Jesus has a servanthood spirit for his father.) I question myself through Martha. I’m a hostess by nature so I have a tendency to nurture all who come into our home, but how to have that desire for the Lord to just sit, wait, listen, eat-  that has been an everyday skill change for me. The day came when I heard the knock on my door, I opened, and my heart opened instantly to Jesus.  I heard His voice and He came in. But I didn’t really know at that time what a Mary looked like, but I so wanted to taste and see Mary’s light-like spirit in me.

I’m the oldest in my family and at a very young age I was placed in a position that I didn’t want. It came with a lot of unhealthy emotions on both our mother and I while our mother was sick. Dad always told me I was the strongest of all and that I could do this. So, I could see the frustration in the duties on being the best you should be (-a Martha, laughing to myself).  But I was also told by our dad that there are 24 hours in a day and there’s no excuse not to finish anything.  I’m thankful for my husband and his heart of love for me and comparing me to the Proverbs 31 woman, but there can be lonely days of chores or appointments, and all the other distractions of a day that comes with some limitation.

To stop and choose to have eyes only for Jesus, to sit at his feet to listen and be touched by the sweetness of His words, brings such comfort in my distractedness.

Jesus made himself available to both Mary and Martha in his visit with them. He wanted to serve them with His words of freedom and the heavenly life that comes from our Father, but with choices. And it’s available today to each one of us, regardless of our weakness, strengths, giftings or personality. I love that it’s a choice we each can make.

The thoughts that my father would say, “There’s 24 hours in a day, there’s no excuse not to complete anything” swirl around in my head. We weren’t taught about the Lord. He wasn’t first in our lives, nor did He come before our daily chores.

So, I struggle with the Mary in me that wants to worship extravagantly at Jesus’ feet, while being the Martha that obeys the call of being a willing servant.

In walking with Jesus, the Kingdom of God desires companionship. To be still (rest at the feet of God) to know that I am God. He has always been looking for daughters and sons to pour his life into. So being workers, yes, but being the vessels that He wants to fill is greater.

Isaish 64:8 says,

“O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we all are the work of your hand.”

So, when we are truly serving as Mary and as Martha, we are filled with His spirit, we are willing to do whatever needs to be done for the Kingdom. To serve Him with all our heart and soul as it says in 1Cor. 15: 58b

“Always work enthusiastically for the Lord. For you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

What I understood through the spirit is that we can’t give our best in serving others unless we become like Mary and allow the spirit God to fill us, then our hands and feet will serve others as Jesus did. Let’s take on the effortlessness servanthood of Jesus.

I love these words from the song Nothing Else, “when I’m caught up in His presence, I’m forever with Him.”

To be both a Mary and Martha is like the first kiss and how it melted me at His feet.  This love will draw us to serve Him at His feet.