Lord, Are You Washing My Feet, Again?

By Tawna Wilkinson                                                                                    

“Then He [Jesus] came to Simon Peter.  And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’”

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’”

“Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’” 

“Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’”

“Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but my hands and my head!’”  (John 13.6-9)

This type of encounter happened to me a year ago. Jesus presented me with “His pitcher and basin” through a very uncomfortable, out-of-the-box method and venue, and my initial reaction was just like Peter’s: “Lord, you will never wash my feet…especially this way!”

In times past, I had granted Him permission to do that very thing. And though the process He chose was less than comfortable, and I didn’t understand the why of it, I did know I loved Him and wanted a richer, fuller, and more intimate relationship. So I would acquiesce.

However, when I saw Him coming this time, in this way, using this setting, the rumble in my spirit was so deep and unnerving, so agitating, and even humiliating; I didn’t think I could take it. 

“God, You know how much I love you, and how many times I have gone through this ‘foot washing’ process with You…but this way? Really?”

“What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”

“But, Lord,” I said, kicking and screaming with pride. “I’ve been pursuing You, right here.  I don’t need this venue. And besides, what if I’m viewed as a ‘conference junky’ looking for her next fix, in order to feel spiritual?”

He didn’t budge. He simply and lovingly, continued offering me a new level of intimacy
through this awkward avenue of a different kind of “foot washing.” 

Still struggling, I whined, “Wow, Lord, does this ever end?"

“Only if you want no ‘part’ with Me.”

What? That was it. That was all it took. And just like Peter, I was in. 

“Wash me, Lord; any way and every way You choose!  Dunk me.  Drown me.  If this is
the only way I can have ‘part’ with You, then do it.”

And He did.

Truthfully, when I saw how filthy my soiled feet made the basin of water after all the previous washings I had received, I writhed in shock and pain. I had no idea how dirty I had gotten, again.
 

But, He was so gentle and so loving as He bathed and massaged my feet. And when He
finished I was clean. I was free. I not only received my “part” with Him, but He went
exceedingly abundantly above everything prior.

So now, when I see Him coming, offering again His “pitcher and basin”; no matter the
form; no matter the shaking in me, I want my prayer to be: “Lord, thank You for washing my feet,
again!”