Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet by Max Lucado

I wanted to share this.. I needed to read this! 

JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES FEET
Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet
by Max Lucado

It has been a long day. Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests, most of whom 
clamor for a glimpse of the Teacher. The spring sun is warm. The streets are 
dry. And the disciples are a long way from home. A splash of cool water would be 
refreshing.

The disciples enter [the room], one by one, and take their places around the 
table. On the wall hangs a towel, and on the floor sits a pitcher and a basin. 
Any one of the disciples could volunteer for the job, but not one does.

After a few moments, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment. He wraps a 
servant’s girdle around his waist, takes up the basin, and kneels before one of 
the disciples. He unlaces a sandal and gently lifts the foot and places it in 
the basin, covers it with water, and begins to bathe it. One by one, one grimy 
foot after another, Jesus works his way down the row.

In Jesus’ day the washing of feet was a task reserved not just for servants but 
for the lowest of servants…The servant at the bottom of the totem pole was 
expected to be the one on his knees with the towel and basin.

In this case the one with the towel and basin is the king of the universe. Hands 
that shaped the stars now wash away filth. Fingers that formed mountains now 
massage toes. And the one before whom all nations will one day kneel now kneels 
before his disciples. Hours before his own death, Jesus’ concern is singular. He 
wants his disciples to know how much he loves them...

You can be sure Jesus knows the future of these feet he is washing. These 
twenty-four feet will not spend the next day following their master, defending 
his cause. These feet will dash for cover at the flash of a Roman sword. Only 
one pair of feet won’t abandon him in the garden. One disciple won’t desert him 
at Gethsemane—Judas won’t even make it that far! He will abandon Jesus that very 
night at the table…

What a passionate moment when Jesus silently lifts the feet of his betrayer and 
washes them in the basin!

Jesus knows what these men are about to do. He knows they are about to perform 
the vilest act of their lives. By morning they will bury their heads in shame 
and look down at their feet in disgust. And when they do, he wants them to 
remember how his knees knelt before them and he washed their feet…
He forgave their sin before they even committed it. He offered mercy before they 
even sought it.