Heavy Grace

 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples'  feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him...When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place.

 (John 13:3-5)

There is a beautiful picture here in these verses from John's gospel.  Jesus takes off His outer garment - the one with the tassels all Jewish men wore which symbolized God's authority.  In its place, He wraps the rag of a servant around His waist and begins to wash the disciples' feet.  As Jesus washes their feet, He dries them with the towel, transferring the dirt from them onto Himself. 

The next day He would do the same for us.  He would take the dirt of our sin and our shame and transfer it onto Himself as He hung on a cross to die.  The Apostle Peter writes:  "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross."  (1Peter 2:24) 

It is a heavy grace He freely offers us when we come to the Cross. 

It cost Him everything, yet He did it willingly. 

He took off the dress of a King and put on the garb of a servant, ready to wash the dirt from our feet, ready to wash the sin from our lives.  Ready to die on a cross for you and for me.

Heavy grace.

This time of year especially, it is good to pause and remember the weight of grace, the heavy burden, the heavy cost of it all.