Washed Clean
Jesus calls us to love like He did. Will our hearts be humble like His and get down as low as we need to get to help others be clean?
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die..You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy"
Exodus 30:10-12, 15-21, 29
Jesus was not the only one who washed feet. Aaron and the priestly family were taught to prepare the people for the presence of God by cleaning the dirt from their hands and feet. This was an external process that was meant to be directly related to the internal humility and desire for holiness. It was a ritual that was done every time the people came to the temple.
The problem with ritual is that it can become routine. It can lose the power that it is meant to have in our hearts. What are your rituals or routines that you practice so that you will experience God's holiness? Are there any things you are doing whether prayer, attending church, serving or giving, or worship that are becoming routine and not really drawing you closer to Jesus?
“Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. Return to us, God Almighty! Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name.”
Psalms 80:3, 7, 14-15, 17-18
Long before Jesus was born, David sings a song of restoration. He describes Jesus without even knowing that he was describing Jesus. God did answer his prayer by sending His Son that no one would turn away. God did send a savior to revive us as we call on His name.
The salvation that David sings of is the cleansing of the soul. He knew as well as anyone how life can fill our hearts with fears and knowledge of our failures. The beauty of David's heart was his devotion to dwelling with God. He loved the Lord and the Lord loved him. How does God restore us? Through the cleansing, perfect love that we experience when in union with His Son.
“Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad. The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
Proverbs 29:6-7, 17, 25
Why do the righteous shout for joy? They know that they are set free by the savior and are no longer bound by consequences of their sin. It is not that the righteous person never sins, rather they know that their sin no longer holds them captive. There is a cleansing of heart and mind that comes from understanding the freedom of eternal salvation. Is there anywhere in your life that sin continues to snare you?
Wisdom says that those who are set free also care for the freedom of those not yet free. We serve a just God and that God expects us to make sure justice is available to all people. How does God call you to help a person or people in need get the justice that they have not yet received?
“Remember your covenant with us and do not break it. Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.”
Jeremiah 14:7-9, 20-22
Some cleansing comes through washing with a bowl, other cleansing comes in the water from the rain clouds. Have you ever noticed how pure the air is after it rains? Have you ever thought about how rain could be God cleansing the world He created? Part of the covenant that God has made with us is that He will always provide. How can the rain clouds be a reminder of the hope we have in God?
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him...When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them...A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:3-10, 12-17, 34-35
There is such beauty in the symmetry of the Bible. It is all connected. The same day we read about how the priests of the Old Testament are to wash feet to make people clean in preparation for holiness, we read about how Jesus taught His disciples to wash feet as an example of how to cleanse others with a heart to love.
It has been said that the actions of the people of God might be the only Bible that others read. What do my words, actions, and attitude tell others about the love of Jesus? Am I helping draw each person I interact with towards the savior? Intentions do not matter when it comes to love, only impact does. How do you make others feel? Do they feel the love of Christ flowing through you?
Jesus did not say that self-sacrificial, humble love was optional for His followers. A new command He gives. Washing others feet, walking humbly, and loving self-sacrificially is one of the tests and testimonies of whether Jesus is Lord of your life. Jesus says they will know if you are an apprentice, a disciple, a student, a follower by how you love others. You are uniquely gifted to bring love to the world through the strengths you have been given. How will you wash the feet of others today? How will you help them experience the cleansing power of the love of Christ?