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Daily Washing

Daily Washing
Words of Faith 1-16-17
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2017
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 13
[4] So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. [5] 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.
[6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
[7] Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
[8] "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
[9] "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
[10] Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." [11] For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

The Upper Room must have suddenly become a very silent place. The chatter and talk about “who is greatest” was now overwhelmed by the quiet sounds of water being gently poured over the feet of each disciple and the scooting of the basin across the floor. Washing twelve sets of feet is no small task. This took a while. They had a lot of time to think.
We are not exactly sure why Peter resisted the washing of his feet when it came his turn. "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." It may have been pride in some form. It may have been embarrassment. Peter may have realized that, as one of the leaders among the twelve, the task of washing feet was something He had neglected. Perhaps it was that very human urge that resides in us which wants very much to wash ourselves.
But Jesus spoke a sobering truth. "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." The same is true for every one of us. If Jesus does not wash us, we have no part with Him. Yet we resist the washing of Jesus as well.
I read recently a Barna Research group report that 80 percent of Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Presbyterians fail to affirm the basic Biblical tenet that humans do not earn their way to heaven by good works. In our American culture, we attempt to be “bootstrap Christians” pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, but Jesus is clear that there is no such thing. Unless Jesus washes us, we have no place in His Kingdom.
Peter suddenly blurted out "Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. Peter did not realize that Jesus had already washed him by His presence and Word. The payment for Peter’s sin was soon to be paid fully. He did not need a bath. He simply needed the Lord to wash the away the dust of the road. A pattern for our Christian life is here. We do not need to be saved but once, yet Jesus continues to wash away the accumulation of dirt that sticks to us from the world we travel in.
Has Jesus washed you? Have you received His wonderful cleansing grace? Have you confessed Your sin and received the washing of His Spirit? This is essential.
Has Jesus washed Your feet today? Have you allowed Him to wash away the accumulation of dirt that comes from traveling in the world? Have you allowed Him to wash away the resentments and disappointments, the hurts and wounds? Have you allowed Him to wash away the mistakes and images that often dirty our walk? This is daily.
Without these washing we cannot walk with Jesus.

Lord, wash me. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Cleanse my very soul with Your grace and mercy. Wash away the dirt of the world that has stuck to my feet, my mind and heart. Renew my spirit to walk with You. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2017
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.