Lord, wash my feet... (a reflection on John 13:4-10)

As God's children, we have been washed clean in the blood of the sacrificial lamb. Our sins are washed away, their debt has been paid! The wrath of our rightous God, incurred by the sins of our life, was born by God's only Son, as God poured out His punishment for all sin, for all time, upon Jesus!

Do we appreciate it enough? I know we do not. We can not! Do we comprehend that in order to be the recipient of Christ's atoning blood, we need to have true faith, a faith that creates a heart of deep gratitude that then spurs us into desired obedience to His Word, motivated by our love for He who has cleansed us?

As our Bible Study group was discussing John 13 this week, we considered the story of the Lord washing the diciple's feet. Such an example of humility and servanthood! In those sandle wearing days where-in traveling took place, mainly on foot and upon dusty roads, foot washing was a part of their culture. But for the Master to be the one doing the washing! Such an example of servant leadership!

Peter. He understandably put up a fuss. "No, Lord, you shall never wash my feet" he cries. But when the Lord tells him that if he does not allow his feet to be washed, he would have no share of him, Peter responds with "not only my feet, Lord, but my hands and my head". The Lord lets him know that "the one who has bathed does not need to be washed" (except for his feet).

What does that all mean to us? As we are cleansed, we do not need to be washed again. Yet the Lord asks us to "wash our feet". Likely many of you have considered this already. The need to daily "check our feet", to be aware of the dust of the world we may have picked up along the way that needs to be repented of and "washed" off.

God's grace helps us take paths less dusty. It helps us avoid pit-falls, it helps us stay on a path that is honorable. But we are still in this world. The sin nature we were born with (for after all, we were made from the "dust of the earth"), is still part of our make up. As we reflect on our daiy walk, may we have softened hearts, in tune to the Spirit's prodding, humbly coming in repentance and seeking grace to become more like our Master with each passing day.

How thankful we are for His promise to forgive us, to restore and redeem us, as we walk this dusty path of earth, en route for that eternal city of glory, where we will never again need to...

wash our feet.