Often have I struggled with what the Lord would have me "do," especially so throughout the last fifteen years when my ability "to do" and my mobility have been compromised by various things like cancer, degenerating body parts, physical pain, aging, and even a near-death experience. Today, even the simplest tasks wipe me out.

I confess. I constantly wrestle with guilt and shame and feelings of uselessness because I can no longer accomplish what I once could.

I know. I know - these are unreasonable burdens, deceptive opponents. Yet, I wrestle - maybe not as much.

We all wrestle with what God's will is for us. "What has He called me to do?"

While doing some research early this morning, I ran across an interesting passage in John (NLT) which describes Jesus just a few hours before He was betrayed.

He had loved His disciples during His ministry on earth,

and now He loved them to the very end. (13:1)

Another translation says that He showed them the full extent of His love.

What did He "do" this night to demonstrate this mindboggling love?

• He washed feet.
• He broke bread.
• He poured out wine.
• He taught.
• He prayed.

He chose this night of all nights to wash His disciples' feet. Most people wore sandals back in Jesus' day, so feet got tremendously dirty. Most people today don't enjoy handling someone's dirty, stinky, sweaty, crusty feet. Yet, Jesus ignored the dirt and grime and washed their feet.

Imagine their amazement. I believe it was Peter who said something like, "No, Lord." See, this was a job that one's servants did for the family and for guests. Jesus replied with something like, "If not, you have no part with me, i.e. you're not my friend." Peter quickly changed his tune: "Lord, not just my feet but all of me."

Jesus had probably broken bread and poured wine before tonight, but on this night he spoke about the bread and the wine as never before. "This is My body, broken for you . . . This is My blood poured out for you." He basically told them that He was about to die. They didn't pick up on that. He had been trying to prepare them for His death for a while, but they lived as if He would always be with them.

Finally, He taught them and prayed for them and  for all who would follow Him in the future. Yet again, they did not understand His words.

What He was really doing in these simple acts was painting a picture of how we should live. He was, is our Divine Example. Our call is to follow in His steps, to live as He lived, to do as He did, to love as He loved.

These do's are His will for our lives.

• To love, to serve regardless of the filth out of a love for Him.
• To be broken bread and poured out wine for others - The wisdom we learn from our life experiences can encourage and strengthen others. The light He has given us can bring healing and strength and hope and a willingness to persevere. (This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.)
• To love the Body of Christ (the church) enough to participate fully in its life, to be one with Him as He is one with His Father, to share His truth, and to pray for  all.

These actions remind me of the Old Testament call.

He has shown you, O man,

what is good and what the Lord requires of Thee.

To do justly,

To love mercy,

To walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

As I grow older, the more I realize that our call is really a simple one: To love Him with everything we are and have and to love others likewise - to love as Jesus did - "to the very end". May I remember this the next time I'm tempted to wrestle with what the Lord wants me to "do" because Jesus has already shown me what I am supposed to do and how I'm supposed to love.