FEET-WASHING THE PRELUDE TO TESTIMONY

FEET-WASHING THE PRELUDE TO TESTIMONY

If I am in fellowship with one immensely superior to me, whose interests surpass all other interests, and include my own highest interest, it is evident that, while I am in fellowship with Him, His interests must command my attention; but I could hardly say that one who has not entered into this fellowship knows nothing of the feet-washing. I think, if the ^[p. 251] washing were effected, there would be spiritual consciousness of having part with Him where He is now, and, in a degree, in company with His mind. I believe our Lord is ever ready to wash our feet, and that the delay or the hindrance is on our side. He is near us, and ready to do it, as He was when Peter interrupted Him by his objection; but He was interrupted, and the washing was suspended until there was subjection - a submitting of oneself to this blessed action. One’s own thoughts and ideas about the ministry of the word (which is the washing) hinder the Spirit’s action, and the washing is suspended.

Now Christ “ever liveth to make intercession”; this never is interrupted, nor does it ever cease; hence mercy flows uninterruptedly to us, even when we are walking in a careless way. The washing is the action of the word on myself, made known to my own heart and conscience, and which, if not made known, leaves me at a moral distance in my soul from Christ. Now it is not only forgiveness, or relief to my conscience, which the washing comprises or expresses, but it is more; the forgiveness is assured to me because of the intercession, and because of Jesus Christ the righteous. When I am washed, I am cleansed; all that which has caused distance is sensibly removed from me, and now, by this action, I am made conscious of being in unclouded nearness to Him. I require to be washed when I have no sense of sins on my conscience, as well as when I have, if there be any reserve between the Lord and me, that is, if I am out of communion.

The action of the word, as you see in Hebrews 4, is to lead the soul to have to do with God, before whom all things are naked and open, and then the High Priest is known in sympathy; but this is only the beginning of the action of the word. The perfection of its action is when we have part with Him.

Now souls often stop, or are satisfied with the beginning of the action of the word, which assures of a link ^[p. 252] with Christ, and the restored sense of it. This is great relief and joy to one at a distance, or walking carelessly, as Peter was, but it is not intimacy without reserve; and if this is not known, it is not sought; and if not known, there is no following the Lord in fellowship. And here it is where so many saints are. They seek the action of His ministry to comfort and assure their hearts of a living, unbroken link with Him; but the washing and the wiping, which would remove the last shade of reserve between them and Him, they enjoy not; nor do they seek it, though they do not feel entirely happy. How could they? They “go a fishing”, like Peter; and I believe that it is only as I get personally near the Lord, and sit before Him, that I am divested by His word of every shade of reserve, and find it my whole joy to follow Him, and do as He enjoins. But then it is His presence I seek, and not the renewal of the link between Him and me. If it be only the latter that I seek, and not Himself, there may indeed be no doubt of the link, but I do not yet know Himself in unclouded intimacy, and this is immense loss.