For I have given you an example

....  that you should do as I have done to you. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet (John 13:15, 14). There is always so much going on in the stories about Jesus, you can come back again and again and still find something new. Here we have the example of course, but also Jesus' awareness of His coming death and who would betray Him, the lesson behind His exchange with Peter, who was not wanting to let Jesus wash his feet, the sign of the one who would  betray Him Judas, and in spite of this, the way the disciples missed it etc., etc. 

The washing of the feet was the task of the servant with the lowest rank.  And some have seen Jesus example here,  as a command to do foot washing ceremonies. In fact I have taken part in such, and in many ways they were both humbling and moving.  And all this  is fine,  as long as we don't miss the wider lesson that Jesus is wanting us to hear.  It  is that the most menial of tasks should not be beneath any of those of us who name Jesus as teacher and Lord.  And as I meditate on these things this morning,  and even as I write,  I am asking the Lord to show me anything that I might not be willing to do, and for Him to expose any excuse I might have been giving for not doing them. The other thing that comes to mind here, is that many of us are willing to minister, but are not so willing to be humble enough to allow others to minister to us. It might look  humble, but actually it is false humility to disallow others to minister to us.

Another lesson Jesus is wanting us to hear from the exchange with Peter, is that once we have received Him as saviour and Lord (those of us who have been “bathed”),  we are “completely clean.”  We need then only to “wash” our feet (verse 10). As an aside here, there are likely those in the fellowship who have the outward appearance (“not all of you”) but are not.  However, since Jesus did not treat him any differently, neither should we! But perhaps the main point,  is  that we don't need to get saved over and over just because we have been defiled by walking in the world. The defilement of course is both from the pollution of the world,  and from our own sin.  The occasion of this exchange is of course the Lord's  supper. And part of what I hear Him saying to me this morning, is that in the midst of this crisis I should not neglect the (virtual) meeting of ourselves together whenever possible,  to remember His  dead until He come (1 Corinthians 11:25, 26).

Lord Jesus, I want to thank You this morning for the technology that allows us to meet together virtually. And though it is not the same, nevertheless it is something that I believe You  provided in anticipation of this time of isolation. Lord help us to be aware of those for whom and act of kindness at this point in time would mean so much. Thank You for the cookies that were delivered to me last night,  and for the love behind that simple act. I thank and praise You again this morning Lord in Your precious and Holy Name Amen