How He Loved
by Pam Smith
Peter thought that Jesus should not wash his feet, but the Lord was teaching this humble truth to Peter, His disciples and to us. When we’ve received His love and He’s washed us, we can be part of Him and we’re able to follow His new commandment, by really loving one another, with His amazing love in our hearts. Jesus said, ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you’ (John 14:34).
Many of you may feel you’re unworthy to receive anything from the Lord, and yet He would come to you today and kneel down and wash your feet in order to show you how much He loves you. He knew the heart of Judas, yet did He not wash his feet? He can’t force us to receive His love, but Jesus takes our unworthiness and exchanges it for something beyond worth in His eyes.
When we let Jesus wash us we’re receiving from Him, and therefore we become part of Him. Let’s always keep receiving that cleansing, and keep our hearts and hands clean, for He’s made that constant provision for us.
Sometimes I’m tempted to think I’ll wait a little while before getting washed. I’ll wait until I’m in a better place first. But the Lord wants us to come as we are, as soon as our hearts condemn us. He doesn’t condemn us, but washes us completely, and then remembers our sin no more. He picks us up and puts us in a better place with Himself. How He loves!
In His love the Lord says, ‘I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm, I will come to you’ (John 14:18). And in Isaiah 49:15 God tells the children of Israel; ‘Can a mother forget her own child, and not have love for own son? Yet even if that should be I will not forget you.’ These promises are for those that belong to Him.
Jesus said, ‘If you love me and obey me, I will pray the Father and He will send you another comforter and He will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who leads you into all truth’ (John 14:14-15).
May I be forgiven for changing the word ‘demands’ for ‘shall have’, in Charles Wesley’s famous hymn, When I survey the wondrous cross.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine
Shall have my soul, my life, my all.
Pam Smith has a background in art and nursing, has a son and two daughters and six grandchildren. She has been a friend and helper of Ellel Ministries since l992, and has been involved with Healing Through Creativity Courses. As writer of the Shepherd Love Series, she has a passion for the comfort and encouragement that leads people towards enjoying abundant Life in Jesus.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
