John 13:1–15 — 31–35

How to walk in the broken, bleeding, and washing love of Jesus

1 – Love washes what you never could, breaks and pours itself out in a way you could never repay, and then turns around and tests you to see if you have fully understood that you are called to do the same. Love in its fullness is not just the receiving of the gift of Jesus, it is the washing of the grime of sin. Trusting our Saviour wants us to know he doesn’t just pay the cost, he removes that which makes us feel unworthy of the cost he paid. Don’t lift the bread to your lips if you won’t let the water touch your wounds. We take communion, and we are washed.

2 – The spectrum of people in this story shows a love that transcends barriers, exceptions, and stereotypes we place on it. He washes Judas’ feet right before his betrayal… he washes Peter’s feet right before his denial… he washes the disciples’ feet and takes communion right before all abandon him except John. Meaning it doesn’t matter if you betrayed, denied, or abandoned… there’s a God who washes, and a God who invites you into communion with him. He didn’t just wash the “faithful few”; he washed the ones who would fail him by morning. Your failures… can. be. washed.

3 – “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” It’s impossible to walk in the love of Christ if that love is not allowed to wash away all the things we don’t love about ourselves, all the ways people robbed us of love, all the misconceptions and failed promises we have about love, and all the times love has failed. When love washes you, it washes the way that you love others, forcing you to act in a way contrary to the flesh and only credited to his Spirit… a washed love washes us and will not allow us to not wash others.

Lament

1. Pray this prayer: “Jesus, I admit I have often believed your cross paid for me, but still lived like the parts of me I hate are beyond your washing. I’ve taken communion while secretly agreeing with shame, acting as if I’m too much, too dirty, or too broken for real, daily love. Teach me today the love of your washing grace in the dirty parts of my humanity. Teach me to come to the one who longs to forgive and to cleanse.” Take a minute or two and in a silent whisper name the things you are giving to Jesus today to cleanse. After you give him those things and run out of things to name, center yourself and slowly repeat the phrase, “show me your ways of love and washing today” for another minute or two.
2. Pray this prayer: “Jesus, I confess I have chosen ‘safe’ people to love while you knelt before a betrayer, a denier, and friends who would abandon you by morning. I’ve held a towel in my hands but kept score in my heart, deciding who is worth my time instead of loving as one who’s been washed. Teach me the gift of being washed of my dirt is the grace, forgiveness, and ability to wash others of theirs.” Take a minute or two in silent reflection and whisper the names of people you are choosing to forgive and wash their feet. After a moment of silence, ask the Lord if further behavior is being asked of you as a sign and symbol that you have been washed and are willing to wash others.