MUSINGS

“ACCORDING TO ALL MY POWER” It is strengthening to reflect on the operations of divine power which enter into the service of God. The power of Christ has provided all that is required for that glorious service to be established and maintained. This is seen in type in the devotion of David—“I have prepared according to all my power for the house of my God”, 1

Chronicles 29: 2. The immense wealth of gold and silver and other metals, and the great variety of precious stones, were the product of David’s consuming devotion to “the house of my God”. So we contemplate the power of Christ operating in all its fulness to secure a dwelling place for His God, to furnish and enrich that habitation, and Himself to set on and lead the glorious order of its service—“In the midst of the assembly will I sing thy praises”, Hebrews 2: 12. Then there is the power of the Holy Spirit as we are “strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man”, Ephesians 3: 16.

We contemplate, and have part in, an order of things, divinely conceived, into which enters the power and resource of two divine Persons, that there might be a habitation for God, and a rich service of response worthy of Himself as made known, and eternally satisfying to Him.

FEET WASHING “If I therefore, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet”, John 13: 14. This gracious service of Jesus was an expression of perfect love—“having loved his own who were in the

world”, (He) “loved them to the end” (John 13: 1). What must have been His feelings as to each? What would be His thoughts as He served Peter? He knew, and valued, his fervent love; foreknew his imminent failure; knew that he would be fully restored, to serve in powerful testimony and to glorify God in his death. What would be the feelings of Jesus as to John, one so near to Him, so lovable?

Then we are to wash one another’s feet, and that, too, is to be a service of love. It might be the feet of one experienced and mature, or of one of John’s young men, energetic and committed, or, again, of one of John’s little children, in whom the early features of the work of God are appearing. Whatever it is that we discern in one another of the work of God it is to call forth affectionate, lowly, and respectful service in refreshment and encouragement.

FCM