The Love of God

I was thinking today as I was reading in the Bible when Jesus washes the disciples feet in John 13. Two things that struck me about Christ's love and willingness to serve.

First it is concerning Judas Iscariot. Jesus knew that Judas would be the one that very night who would betray Him for just a few pieces of silver. But Christ knowing this was going to happen still washed His feet. He did not treat Him in a different way or like He was less. Judas was treated as an equal by Christ and served the same as all of the disciples despite what he was planning on doing.

Second and last it is concerning Simon Peter. I find this to be just a little more shocking. I often have thought in my life that what Jesus does for me is dependent upon what I do for Him. But Christ is so much better and greater than that. Jesus knew when He washed Peter's feet that Peter was going to deny Him. He knew that Peter was going to fail Him and not trust or believe Him. He knew that Peter was going to love himself more than Christ. Christ knew when He washed Peter that within a few hours Peter was going to turn his back and deny that he had ever been with or known Christ.

I am so thankful that as God loved and washed Peter's feet in spite of what he knew Peter was going to do. I am so thankful that God did the same for me. I used to think that God did not love me the same when I sin as when I do right. But God when he saved me knew every mistake that I would ever make, every time that I would choose to please myself, every time I would deny Him control of my thoughts, actions and deeds, every time I would sin against Him and who He has made me to be. In spite of knowing all of this God still chose to save me and love me and wash me, and justify me (declare me righteous), give me a new name and seat me in the heavens with Him.

I am so thankful that God's love for me and His saving of me has nothing to do with what I do. I am so thankful that salvation is fully of God and none of me. Truly I serve a great God who is worthy of praise, honor, glory, power......