The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 13:5-9,
"After that, he [Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' 'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' 'Then, Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!'"
As many do, I love this account!
Back in the day, before cars and motorcycles, people walked everywhere. Considering they wore open sandals (before New Balance shoes came out!), their feet would need washing upon arriving somewhere. As a menial task, it might be one a servant would perform on the feet of arriving guests at a get together. It was a practical matter, and, as you can imagine, not something the guest of honor would perform.
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Teacher, Rabbi and Lord, donned a towel and with a basin of water in hand began to wash his disciple's feet at the Last Supper. He was teaching them to serve one another as he performed this task on the feet of his disciples. It was a very beautiful and apt portrayal of what he desires from all of us. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." Verse 14. Very simply, serve one another.
When he came to the ever impetuous Peter, Peter protested. No way he was going to allow his Lord and Master to perform this menial task on him. In a most beautiful way, Jesus told Peter that unless he allowed Jesus to wash him, to cleanse him, Peter could have no part with him. This, of course, was an allusion: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
Peter's response is such a hoot! Upon being told this, he told Jesus to not stop just at the feet, but hands and head as well, as if to say, "Then give me a whole bath!"
Some churches today, missing the bigger point and ever looking for rituals and practices to perform within their services have turned this wonderful account of Jesus' very practical teaching into an ordinance to be performed within their church services. On those "special occasions" on the church calendar they actually wash each other's feet (in a day when we do have cars and motorcycles and New Balance shoes!). I find this cheapens the whole of it as the serving of one another should take place full time outside church "services", outside the church walls, outside Sunday mornings. Serving one another is something we should be doing as a lifestyle of love toward others on behalf of our Savior who has sacrificed all in service to us - cleansing us from all sin.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"After that, he [Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' 'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' 'Then, Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!'"
As many do, I love this account!
Back in the day, before cars and motorcycles, people walked everywhere. Considering they wore open sandals (before New Balance shoes came out!), their feet would need washing upon arriving somewhere. As a menial task, it might be one a servant would perform on the feet of arriving guests at a get together. It was a practical matter, and, as you can imagine, not something the guest of honor would perform.
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Teacher, Rabbi and Lord, donned a towel and with a basin of water in hand began to wash his disciple's feet at the Last Supper. He was teaching them to serve one another as he performed this task on the feet of his disciples. It was a very beautiful and apt portrayal of what he desires from all of us. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." Verse 14. Very simply, serve one another.
When he came to the ever impetuous Peter, Peter protested. No way he was going to allow his Lord and Master to perform this menial task on him. In a most beautiful way, Jesus told Peter that unless he allowed Jesus to wash him, to cleanse him, Peter could have no part with him. This, of course, was an allusion: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
Peter's response is such a hoot! Upon being told this, he told Jesus to not stop just at the feet, but hands and head as well, as if to say, "Then give me a whole bath!"
Some churches today, missing the bigger point and ever looking for rituals and practices to perform within their services have turned this wonderful account of Jesus' very practical teaching into an ordinance to be performed within their church services. On those "special occasions" on the church calendar they actually wash each other's feet (in a day when we do have cars and motorcycles and New Balance shoes!). I find this cheapens the whole of it as the serving of one another should take place full time outside church "services", outside the church walls, outside Sunday mornings. Serving one another is something we should be doing as a lifestyle of love toward others on behalf of our Savior who has sacrificed all in service to us - cleansing us from all sin.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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