5-30-2014

Good Morning All,

        John 13:5; “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

      Yesterday, my two year old grandson went to Story Book Land for the first time.  This is a playground/park with a “Wizard of Oz” theme.  He rode the train and the carousel.  He fed the animals and went on the slide.  He walked across the big sand lot area where the digger toys are.  As he went across, he told his mother that he had “icky feet”.  He wasn’t very excited about the sand.  He is kind of particular about his feet.  He likes to wear socks.  He doesn’t like to wear sandals without socks; that gives him “icky feet”.  Perhaps not the most fashion conscious young man but he knows what he likes and what he doesn’t like.  He doesn’t like “icky feet.”

     Most of us do not like “icky feet.”  I know I don’t.  If I have a tiny pebble in my shoe; I have to stop and take it out.  At the end of a long day, my feet are often hot and sore and they feel “icky.”  I think I feel more tired if my feet are aching than if my feet don’t hurt.  When my feet suffer, the rest of me suffers greatly and at the end of a umpiring a double header on a hot July day; my feet are not only “icky” they are dirty and stinky as well.  The only thing better than a soak in a warm tub of water is a good foot rub.  That would really hit the spot.

    It is interesting that when Jesus chose to serve his disciples; he chose to wash their feet.  First, the washing of the feet was the job of the lowest slave in the household.  It was the job of the new guy.  It was not pleasant.  They walked everywhere they went.  They wore sandals and no socks.  After a day’s journey, they had “icky feet.”  If you willingly wash those feet, you are doing a great act of kindness.  Yet I think Jesus chose the feet for another reason as well.  We are often most comforted when our feet are soothed.

    This is what Jesus does for us.  He washes us and soothes us.  He washes away our sin and in doing this, we have comfort and relief.  There are many things in life that cause our “icky feet.”  We may face pain and suffering but Jesus comes to heal us and to soothe our pain and our sorrow and he does it by going to the dirtiest and stinkiest place.  It may be our feet but, in reality, it is our heart that is the worst.  This is where our sinful desires grow and form and then exude themselves.  It is there that the dirty, sweaty, stinky sin begins.  Just as Jesus washes our feet; he cleanses our heart of the impurity.

    So by the washing away of our sins, we are cleansed.  We are given renewed hope; we are given a fresh start.  We lose our “icky feet” for clean feet.  We leave our treacherous heart for a clean heart, renewed by the loving grace that God gives us.  Jesus washes our feet but more than that he washes all of our body and changes us from the sinful, self-centered being into a new creation; one that desires to do his will.  That is what we get from his washing us.  We get cleansed and healed.

Gracious Lord, in the washing and the regeneration of our spirit you make us wholly yours.  Keep us safe within your loving embrace.  Bring those who have “icky feet” to know the wonders of your redemption.  Keep them safe from harm and send your Spirit to them.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace

Pastor Bret