Dirty Feet?

The weather has been warming up lately, and yesterday everyone I saw had on flip flops. I commented that I needed a pedicure before that would happen. So feet have been on my mind. Today the Holy Spirit planted a little illustration in my heart.

It was the day before Jesus was arrested, and He and the disciples were having their "last supper" before His arrest, then crucifixion.  

John 13:4-17

4.[Jesus] rose from [the last] supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about. 5. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6. And so He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" 7. Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter." 8. Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9. Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." 10. Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean,

I'm writing this as it's coming to me from the Holy Spirit...
 
I am going to share a story today, it's about washing feet. In times past I've had dirty feet. I was clean because I was "saved". I knew Jesus as my Savior from an early age. But days of distance from the Lord had left me in the mud and filth. I was not a pretty site. Layers of grime coated my feet and toes. "Gospel Shoes" didn't' fit well because of it. I left tracks wherever I went and people that I knew and came in contact with, might have caught a "whiff". Yep, I had ...dirty feet.
 
One day Jesus sat me down and pointed them out to me.

"How can you expect to live a clean and righteous life if you are constantly getting into the mud and slime? Do you want to change and be a person who represents Me? If you do, there are some things to attend to. First you need to realize where you've been and make a point to not return. If you ask Me, I will help you refuse the temptation to go back to that pit again. That pit has held you far too long.
Now just ask Me. I will say Yes, and it will be done.
Now, make the declaration, "I'm not going back!"
 
Then I said to Jesus, "I know that I'm clean in spirit, but I DO need a foot washing."
 
So Jesus knelt down, towel in hand and a basin of fresh clean "living water". I believe I saw a little "launderer's soap" in there as well. He reached for my feet and immersed them. Washed and dried them, and then put on my shoes.
They smelled sweet and my shoes fit again!
 
Do you need help with your feet? Notice any smudges, dust, or grime? Have they been leading you to preach the good news, or have they taken you places you never want to return?
 
Just do what I did, ask for a foot washing from Jesus. He's waiting, with a smile and a towel.
 

Have a blessed Easter weekend. I'll be with my family this weekend, Hope you'll be with yours. I'll be back next Wednesday.

 

love, in Jesus,

Debra