Dear Redeeming Grace,

In Jason's message on serving last week, we thought of a helpful image. Just like a young child learns to write his or her letters by tracing, we can trace our lives onto Jesus' life. I think we see a great example of Jesus teaching this during the last supper He had with his disciples in John 13.

"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? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." (John 13:12-15)

In essence, Jesus is saying "do what I do." If Jesus is our Teacher and our Lord then our lives should imitate his. We know this to be true, and, in God's grace, He is shaping us to be more and more like Jesus.

So, as we continue in our series on gospel values over these coming weeks, let's keep putting on all these attributes we see perfectly displayed in Jesus as we trace our lives over His--by His grace and for His glory.