GOD’S WORD FOR OCTOBER 15

We are using Charles Spurgeon book, “The Risen King.”  It’s a collection of well chosen excerpts from Spurgeon’s  “Easter” sermons in devotional form, put together by Jeff Medders.   Pastor Spurgeon lived from 1834 to 1892  in London, England, and had a unique gift of understanding and showing the depth of our faith.  Thus, his reverential title as the Prince of Preachers.   Even though we’re not in or near that season, every day is a good day to focus on Christ’s sacrifice and victory for us!

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JESUS WASHES FEET

John 13:3-5

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,  rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

If you look through this chapter, you do not find that Peter asked Christ to wash his feet.  It was unsolicited and unexpected.  Christ comes, without any prayers, or supplications from the disciples, and He begins to wash their feet.  It is great goodness on Christ’s part to hear our prayers when we really feel our need  — but does He perform for us such medial, such generous acts as to wash our feet without being asked?  O beloved, if Christ only did for us what we ask Him to do we would perish forever, for nine out of ten of the things which He gives us we never asked for.  We do not know our own needs.  The Lord Jesus so loves His people that every day He is washing our feet.

Jesus has washed all believers, once for all, in His most precious blood.

 Before the bar of justice, cleansing is completely accomplished forever for all the chosen, by the great bloodshed upon Calvary.  That is a matter of the past – a thing for which to bless God for all eternity.  But here is another kind of washing – not of the entire body but of the feet only and not with blood but with water.  Does our Lord Jesus do anything of this kind now – anything so humbling to Himself and yet so needed by us?  I answer, YES, HE DOES!

The Savior performs a parallel action when He watches over the temporal affairs of His people.  You know, beloved, that not a hair of your head falls to the ground without His care.  Your most trifling trouble may be taken in prayer to Christ, for Jesus waits to be gracious to His own beloved.  Now, when Jesus superintends our ordinary comings and goings, looks to our family troubles, and bears our household cares, saying to us, “Cast all your care on Me, for I care for you.” (1 Peter 5:7), is He not, in effect, doing for us what He did for Peter?  Washing our feet and caring for our lowest parts and minding our poor dust-stained feet?

Consider further how He cares for our minor matters with a personal interest.  That Christ should ease the disciples’ weary hearts I can understand, or that He should enlighten their clouded brains I can understand.  But that He would wash their feet is wonderful.  A little soil on their ankles – will He attend to that?  He will, and personally too.  He will take the basin and the towel Himself and wash their feet.  Had they been diseased with leprosy or been blind, it would have made sense that He would heal them.  But a mere defilement of their feet is so small a matter;  would He attend to that?  He might have left them to wash one another’s feet, might He not?  But, no, the Lord laid aside His own garments and took a towel and performed the kind deed for them Himself.

Brothers and sisters, take your little things to Christ – those trials of which your heart says, “they are too small.  Though they prick me like thorns in the flesh and give me pain, they are really too trifling for me to mention in prayer.”  Not so!  The Lord loves for you to trust Him thoroughly.  This is a token of His love, of His continued affection – that He will look even to the little things, that He will have compassion even in your small affairs.  You may ask Him – oh, it is bold asking, but you may do it – to wash your feet, for He will do even that.  We must believe in Him so much that we can trust each day’s cares to Him.  Knowing that He still washes His disciples’ feet by attending to our minor needs and griefs.

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Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Luke 12:27

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Proverbs 3:6

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Matthew 11:28

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

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