My grandmother was one of the cleanest women I've ever known. As a child, regarless of when I'd bathed or where I had been, she washed my feet at the door and again before I got into bed. She even washed the dog's feet before they could come in the house. Sometimes I thought this was a waste of time and energy, but that washing before getting into bed was calming and relaxing.
Jesus washed his disciples feet at the last supper. They were reluctant to let the "Master" wash their feet. Of course, wearing sandals in the desert meant their feet stayed dirty, even though they bathed. Can you imagine what you would do today if your boss came to your office and began washing your feet?
Jesus' point is that bathing alone doesn't keep our whole body clean. Our feet walk through dirty paths. Baptism has cleansed us of our sins, but every day we walk back down those paths of filth and sin. Therefore need a way to cleanse that newly formed dirt from us. Jesus gave us the way. It's called confession. We confess our sins and our bodies are make clean again. But it isn't just for one time, is it? How often do you need a foot washing? When you feel your sin being lifted and you heart and sould cleansed again, don't you feel calm and relaxed, just like I did when Granny put me to bed with clean feet?
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9
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