G     C        G       D    G
In an upstairs room, a parable
   C    G        D    G
Is just about to come alive.
G                                 Em
And while they bicker about who's best,
            Am             G
With a painful glance, He'll silently rise.
      Em             C
Their Savior Servant must show them how
            C
Through the will of the water
             Am            D
And the tenderness of the towel.

[Chorus]
         C             Bm
And the call is to community,
    D                       C             G
The impoverished power that sets the soul free.
   C            Em
In humility, to take the vow,
     Am        Bm          C           D             C
That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

[Bridge]

Em C D x2

[Verse 2]
   C   G   D    G
In any ordinary place,
   C   G   D    G
On any ordinary day,
    C   Bm       F#m   Em
The parable can live again
     Am                 D
When one will kneel and one will yield.
      Em             C
Our Saviour Servant must show us how
             C
Through the will of the water
           Am             D
And the tenderness of the towel.
        D     G           C         G
And the space between ourselves sometimes
   D             Em           Am       D
Is more than the distance between the stars.
       D       G             C         G
By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow
    Am                       D
We take up the basin and the towel.

[Chorus]
         C         Bm
And the call is to community,
    D                       C             G
The impoverished power that sets the soul free.
   C            Em
In humility, to take the vow,
     Am        B           C           D
That day after day we must take up the basin
    D         Bm          C           D
And day after day we must take up the basin
    C         G           C           D             C
And day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

[Outro]

G D C Em x2

C           D             C
Take up the basin and the towel.