Knowing Jesus

Nothing is more satisfying, humbling, touching, and truly wonderful than encountering Jesus Christ and knowing Him. There is so much revealed about His characer through His word and just taking His word for what it says. Before Jesus was betrayed, denied, and abandoned by His closest friends and His own people, He did something that speaks louder than words...
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded." John 13:3-5.
Can you picture this scene in your head? God incarnate kneeling down at the feet of men, washing the dirt and mud off of their feet to be the example that He asks us to be. Jesus had hands of flesh with which He touched some of the most dirty things, including lepers, diseased people, the sick...and the feet of His disciples. He washed them and dried them on the towel that He wrapped Himself in. The Creator of the world, humbling Himself and serving those whom He created. He did this knowing fully what the next hours held...that none of His disciples would stick with Him... that no one understood what He was doing for the world...and that He would become sin and the Father would forsake Him. He was serving His disciples hours before darkness would overtake Him...and He did it in love. "...Jesus knowing His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end..." John 13:1 Even in the betrayal while Jesus was being arrested in the garden He loved and protected His disciples, "Therefore He again asked them, 'Whom do you seek?' And they said, 'Jesus the Nazarene.' Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way...'" John 18:8
I want to encourage you to know that Jesus has served us by not only washing our feet, but washing our hearts. Every stain and imperfection He has removed from us...and He did it in the flesh. He bore it in His body on the cross. His salvation is personal...and He humbled Himself greatly that we might be called friends of God. What a Savior that we can know! "So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord..."