Initiating Gospel

“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” (John 13:3-5, NLT)

After leaving our church of almost seven years we were finally getting into the rhythm of a new church position. We had desired a season of rest for our little family and we were heartily enjoying it. We were loving our ministry jobs and soaking up pizza lunches and park days with our young kids. It never occurred to us that life could get better than this!

But, as He has been known to do, God answered a prayer that we weren’t creative enough to think to pray for ourselves. He made a way and confirmed quickly for us to move back home to my husband’s childhood church, living in town with extended family members for the first time in our marriage! Our kids would get to grow up alongside their cousins and we would get to invest in this church home that we have loved from afar.

God has given answers to prayers I never thought to pray many times before that and since then. His sovereign goodness always outdoes our human ideals and He gives us what we need often before we even know we need it.

Christ’s gospel is an initiating gospel. Not only does Jesus go first in our redemption story, He goes all the way. Jesus is at the beginning of the story and it all ends with Him. He goes first in bringing us home before we even knew we were homesick.

Before the disciples had a chance to try to clean themselves up for Him, Jesus had everything needed to make them clean. I imagine confusion on the faces of the apostles as Jesus gets up from the table. He wraps a cloth around his waist and brings the basin of water over to where His friends sit. Can you picture the One who fearfully made each disciple in that room, humbly scrubbing dust and dirt from their feet? I see Him paying attention to every callous and gently cleaning their soles. I can hear the silence in the room, silent except for the sound of cleansing water. I wonder if Jesus prayed over each individual man, knowing the cost of the great commission before them.

The last thing any of the disciples at that table expected was for Jesus to stoop to the position of foot washer. But here Jesus is volunteering for the job!

Jesus made the move to Calvary before any of His followers knew He was doing this for them.

This intimate act of love by the Messiah happens even now, every day. Jesus is bending low to meet the most hidden of our needs, often before we even think to ask of Him. His tenacious nearness in the affairs of His people is much like His act of love for His disciples all those years ago.

Christ will always be the first to see us before we see Him. He will always be the first to know what we’re thinking before we know what we’re thinking. He will be the first to stay close to us before we choose to stay close to Him. He was the first to offer forgiveness before we even asked, and He is the first to love us before we even knew Him. His inaugural act of love began long before Calvary, but it was always propelled by His love for us.

Prayer: I cannot truly comprehend how You love me. I confess that I often take it for granted, not taking the time to regularly enjoy Your love for me. Help me to boldly take to you every care and concern that I have, and to trust You in my circumstances. Even when it feels like you are far away and things aren’t going my way, give me more faith to trust You in all things. I confess that I don’t always live like I believe that you care about me. Thank you for loving me anyway. Strengthen me to carry Your servant-hearted love to those around me!