24 Hours
by Brandy Webb
Last night after we partook of the Passover symbols in honor of the last night our Messiah was able to meet and eat with His disciples, my husband asked us, “What would you do if you knew that you had only twenty-four hours to live?”
Okay, I am about to share my first thought, and I am not too proud of it. My first thought was where could I fly that is on my bucket list and get there with enough time to enjoy visiting? I hate to admit it, but my first thought was about me and doing something really neat. Given, my idea also included my family coming with me, but still I must admit it was a bit selfish.
My husband then continued, “Would it be to spend part of your last day washing the feet of the man who was going to betray you and the man who was going to deny you? Would it be to spend hours teaching your closest friends, which of whom you had already been teaching for three years, to teach them some more knowing that they still didn’t fully get it?”
I was humbled by this truth. My husband wasn’t trying to make anyone feel bad or judge what their first thoughts were. He was just sharing a reality that had just hit him, and he wanted to share it. What would you do if you only had twenty-four more hours to live, and you knew it?
Our Messiah didn’t go and spend a ton of money on all the pleasures that He desired. He didn’t go on a short vacation. He didn’t go and party like it was the end of the world as He knew it. No, our Messiah was not selfish. He was selfless. He thought of Himself less than He thought of others. He chose to not waste any of His little time. He knew that His disciples did not understand His teachings at the time. He knew that they probably wouldn’t even understand it at the end of that fateful 14th day of Abib/Nisan when they would be eating with their families celebrating the end of the Passover and the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread. He also knew who was going to be the cause of His capture, who was going to deny Him, and that all of them would flee from Him leaving Him to face His accusers all alone.
He knew all of this, and He still washed all their feet. He still taught them one last time. And after Judas leaves to betray Him (John 13:30), He teaches the rest some really important things:
“Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another…. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?... If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 13:33-34; 14:1-2, 15-17).
Time is short. None of us know when we will have our last 24 hours. However, we all know that life is short. So, I am going to strive to live like my Messiah, showing love for others, serving others, and sacrificing my time for others. He gave us some big footsteps to follow, yet follow we should strive to do. It will definitely help us to have fulfilling hours in our lives.