Dirty Feet

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalms 51:10

Wet grass all over my feet and sandals! How can I go inside the church like this? I’ll track this mess everywhere. I had walked up with a friend from the Sunday School classes through freshly mown dew covered grass. Her shoes were a mess too. Actually she was the one who noticed our problem. One of the men saw our dilemma and brought us paper towels to clean our shoes and feet. It was embarrassing leaning against the building and wiping my feet but it was better than messing up the foyer and aisles.

Jesus took a towel and washed the feet of his disciples. Peter didn’t want his Lord to perform such a lowly task for him. Peter wanted to serve Jesus, not have Jesus serve him. What Peter didn’t understand was that Jesus was the greatest of servants. He not only served, He sacrificed himself for Peter and for us. Later in the same chapter Jesus tried to explain the symbolism of what he was doing. We walk through this world every day and pick up “dirt” from the world. Not the dust of the ground but the bad things of this world, the attitude, the language, the selfishness, etc. Jesus wants us spiritually clean. He washed the disciples’ feet as an example to serve our fellow Christians by watching out for each other and helping each other keep our lives clean.

In the days of the tabernacle, the priest had to wash at a laver before going into the tabernacle. They first passed by the burnt offering, then washed hands and feet before entering the tabernacle to offer the incense. The incense of prayers needed to be offered by spiritually clean priest. Priest still covered with blood and ashes from the burnt offering would not symbolize spiritual cleanness.

How often do I rush to God with my desires without stopping to ask for the cleansing of His forgiveness? I want my prayers to have a sweet savor to God.

Dear Lord, thank you for a friend who noticed the dirt on our feet. Help me Lord to notice the dirt on my heart. Create in me a clean heart; and renew a right spirit within me. In Jesus name. Amen.