"Our Portion!"

 "Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." (John 13:8 KJV)

  "And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." (Hebrews 10:19-23 NLT)

 Maybe we don't fully understand what this illustration of washing the disciples' feet gives to us, regarding our own spiritual walk? Because, in the simple and most perfect way, it is Jesus showing how much He cares for us, personally and as one of His own! 

 I think we might be surprised to know how many there are among us, that fail to see the real personal relationship that we have been brought into; because it truly is not about a religious experience, but about a personal experience, one that we can touch and that touches us! It is real and cannot be denied or easily taken away from us.

 That said, it can be something we place upon a shelf, as if it is about a religious experience, something we must do, not something we are now a part of, as we have been born into! This makes practicing the right things to do, take on a whole different level of experience. We don't practice doing what is right to gain anything, we practice what is right, because it is what we do, as God's children. 

 Based upon the fact that God has given us this salvation freely, there is nothing we can do to help pay for that which is already ours. I know that we have a tendency to want to pay our fair share, almost as if we are obligated to contribute or earn something; but it is something that is impossible to earn! Believe me, I have been there and have experienced the religious side of salvation; and is it scary to think that we can earn our way to God! 

 This is not just about our portion, as if it is only about something we have been given; Christ Jesus has made us His! We are His bride, which He has made to be holy and set apart, to be with Him for all eternity. We might think that it is all on us to do this or that; but He has done all that there is to do, now we get to walk in that...

"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us to believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else - not only in this world but also the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:19-23 NLT)