Beautiful Word Devotional #305

“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”

John 15:3

Kids teach parents a lot of things. One thing is just how dirty, dirty can be. A trip to the sandbox means sand everywhere: in the pockets of the jeans, in the shoes, and under fingernails. Getting a squirming toddler clean is work!

In John 15, Jesus addressed the matter of spiritual cleanness. He spoke these life-giving words to the disciples, fully knowing that one man’s uncleanness would soon prompt a betrayal that would lead to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. Still, he invited all twelve of the disciples to be washed.

What they didn’t know was that cleanliness of spirit would come at a high price: Jesus’ own blood would soon be spilled, and that blood was key to forgiveness and clean hearts. Jesus’ blood welcomes us all to him despite the fact that we’re like sandy toddlers. We now can be baptized and have clean hearts because of what he did.

Let’s not be toddlers who fight the suds. Instead, may we welcome the spiritual cleansing that Jesus made possible.

Lord, thank you for making a way for me to be cleaned, inside and out, amen.