"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself" ~ John 13:3-4
One look into the bright depths of this "red stone" will show us a way to glorify our drudgery. It is not by a psychological trick, but by "knowing" as Jesus knew the night He "took a towel and girded himself" and began to wash His disciple's feet. He did it all to the glory of His Father.
If we wash dishes and iron clothes and type letters and repair automobiles and sell merchandise
all to the glory of God, our daily drudgery is "deified" and we are surrounded with glory, simply as a
result of our making a sacrament of the dreariest thing. But we can't do this unless we
do know. and what is it that we must know?
Just what Jesus new when He took the towel. We must know
who He is. "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God ..." Jesus
knew that He had come from God and was going to God. That was enough. He was freed from the usual humiliation of menial tasks. How could He have an inferiority complex
knowing that He is the Son of God? What does that have to do with us? Just this: If we
know who He is, and that He lives in us and that we are His own, we are also free. The Son Himself has made us free. Because of who He is. We must simply know it. We must be conscious of it at all times. Dr. Verkuyl in his excellent Berkeley translation of this passage uses the word, "conscious." "... Jesus,
conscious that the Father placed everything into His hands and that He came from God and was going to God, rose from the table, put away his robe and, taking a towel, girded Himself." We must develop the consciousness of who it is who has come to live within us.
"I myself will come to you."
If we wash dishes and iron clothes and type letters and repair automobiles and sell merchandise all to the glory of God, our daily drudgery is "deified" and we are surrounded with glory, simply as a result of our making a sacrament of the dreariest thing. But we can't do this unless we do know. and what is it that we must know?
Just what Jesus new when He took the towel. We must know who He is. "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God ..." Jesus knew that He had come from God and was going to God. That was enough. He was freed from the usual humiliation of menial tasks. How could He have an inferiority complex knowing that He is the Son of God? What does that have to do with us? Just this: If we know who He is, and that He lives in us and that we are His own, we are also free. The Son Himself has made us free. Because of who He is. We must simply know it. We must be conscious of it at all times. Dr. Verkuyl in his excellent Berkeley translation of this passage uses the word, "conscious." "... Jesus, conscious that the Father placed everything into His hands and that He came from God and was going to God, rose from the table, put away his robe and, taking a towel, girded Himself." We must develop the consciousness of who it is who has come to live within us.
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