Jesus Washed Our Feet-Cambodia Missions Blog Part 4
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 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.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean,though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
When preparing for a missions trip one typically has a servant's mindset. You don't sign up to go to another country to be served by the people there. You sign up to go and to serve them; to help them in whatever capacity they need it.
We were told the focus of this mission before the team was even chosen. We were going to serve the local church and to strengthen their leadership, help to raise up new leaders by casting the vision of small groups and discipleship and to help build up their children's ministry. In addition to this we would do whatever else was asked of us along the way-outreaches, building projects, etc.
For six months of fundraising and preparation I had my mind set on the mission; the service. This wasn't too difficult for me, I like to be a behind the scenes runner. I enjoy serving others and taking care of people. I looked forward to this opportunity. I can honestly say I was filled with anticipation to go and serve our hard-working, diligent brothers and sisters and to offer them a period of rest.
When we hit the ground running (almost literally) that first day in Cambodia I started taking in the surroundings and watching the people around me. They introduced a game called Angel and Sheep that I loved because it gave us the opportunity to serve someone else anonymously the whole weekend.
The team there works, volunteers, eats and for some live at the church. Seven days a week their lives are completely wrapped up in ministry business. They hadn't had a break in five years. They were exhausted and burnt out. Pastor Sophea asked our team to lead a leadership retreat, much like our encounter retreats, for his team. To take a few days to pour into them, cast fresh vision, pray with them, equip them to go back out and keep moving with the work God has called them to do and to give them a break. He planned a three day retreat and this is all we knew. When we arrived in Cambodia at 2am we were told the days of the retreat had changed and to be back out of bed in 3hrs for breakfast and to get on the bus for a 4 hour drive-to where we knew not.
Four hours later we pulled into a sleepy, little tourist town on the beach and up to a beautiful hotel that blew our minds. We had not expected this. But Pastor Sophea had arranged this as a break and a treat for his hard-working, devoted team, understanding their need.
We spent three days and two nights there with them. We worshipped, we prayed fiercely over them and with them, we broke bread together (though there was no actual bread involved). We taught sessions and we broke out in small groups and cast vision. We had scheduled times of play so that they could cut loose and have a little bit of break to just be the young people they are. It was a beautiful time of ministry where we watched them come alive again, bonds were formed and relationships that will last a lifetime were birthed. Connections were made between our team and theirs that allowed for us to work together the rest of our time there as if we had always been together.
The second and final night of the leadership retreat Pastors Sophea and Jenny arranged for a surprise for their team and ours-a foot washing ceremony. Our pastor and one of the ladies from our group joined to assist them. None of us had ever been a party to one of these services, and as we found out later, neither had any of the Cambodian team.
I can't speak for anyone else present that night. I can only speak from own experience. Most of us have read or heard the account of Jesus washing His disciples feet that I posted above. I had. And I had heard from others what foot washing ceremonies were like. Not ever having experienced it for myself, I didn't understand it full though-like any experience in life.
I'll be honest. I always thought that the idea of this kind of service was a little weird and awkward. And though I am not a total germaphobe or anything, the idea of everyone's feet being dipped in the same water has always seemed a little gross to me. I just want to keep it real. When we all mixed in and took our seats around the circle I felt more than a little uncomfortable with the the entire situation for multiple reasons.
The first being what I just stated-I thought the whole thing a little awkward and kind of gross. The second reason was I wasn't sure who would be washing my feet. I thought it would be strange and uncomfortable to have Pastor Mark and Rachael doing such a thing. We are a team, we are all in this together. And if anything I should be washing my pastors feet, not the other way around. And the idea of Pastors Sophea and Jenny washing my feet seemed absurd.
I really just couldn't understand why our team was even involved in this. Especially in the way we were-being served. We came to serve them. We came to serve this team, these pastors, we should be honoring them, cleansing them, serving them. Not these hard-working, weary pastors serving us.
I was having a difficult time with this as I looked around the room and took in others' reactions. I could others in our group that seemed to be struggling with it like I was, though I don't know the thoughts going through their minds. Others of our team were smiling and whispering with each other and enjoying a private joke as things were getting started. The Cambodian team was quiet, solemn and there seemed many mixed emotions going on within them as well.
As the the pastors began working in opposite directions from a common starting point they were directly across the circle from me. The first couple people that they tended to I was still feeling uncomfortable and curious as I took in my surroundings. In my studies of Cambodian culture I learned that bowing your head is a sign of respect with the Khmer people. The higher placement of the fingertips on the face, the higher show of respect. I saw many of their team, heads bowed, place their folded hands all the way to the eyebrow-the highest display of respect. This moved me deeply. And at first I saw it as a sign of great respect for their pastors as they were being served in such a humble manner.
Have you ever been sitting in a room with your back to the door and even though you couldn't see or even hear it, you could sense the moment someone else walked into the room? You could sense the presence of another in the room with you? This is how everything in that moment changed for me.
As I sat there taking in the reactions of those across from me in the large circle, wondering still why we weren't washing their feet, I sensed the moment He appeared in the room. Jesus joined us and the scriptures came alive before me. Not only did I feel His presence the moment He made it known, but I observed each person around the circle as they felt Him too. The wave of brokenness before Him and the heightened worship that manifested in every soul there was truly one of the most precious moments I've ever experienced. Honestly, it made me look forward to that day in heaven when we will all be bowed before Him in worship together, humbled by His magnificence.
As I broke before my Lord I saw others who were smiling only moments before now had their heads bowed and were beginning to sob, men clinging to their chairs to hold onto the last shreds of composure, young women hiding their faces within shirt collars and folded hands, scarves being wrapped around faces as cries broke free. It was an intense moment that no words can ever truly describe accurately this side of heaven.
The shift in my thinking went from feeling that I should be serving this team and not the other way around, to "Jesus, I am so unworthy of this. I'm here to honor and serve you." All I felt was immense love being poured over me, as if I was being showered and washed by it. I could do nothing, but love Him and bow before Him, humbled beyond belief.
When my pastor and teammate knelt before me to wash my feet I no longer felt uncomfortable and awkward. I felt grateful and blessed beyond measure. I didn't see Mark and Rachael before me anymore. I saw the hands of Christ working to cleanse me once again and renew my strength.
When I saw the dirty water that so many filthy flip-flop clad feet had been washed in I didn't feel grossed out as I thought I would. I sobbed before that dirty water. I saw it as the filth of this world that clings to us as we walk in our flesh in a sin-cursed world that tries its best to stick to us and pull us back to darkness. This was a visible, tangible example of the sanctification process that the Holy Spirit takes us through. And no one can cleanse us this way, but the Son of God, our Savior, Jesus.
I was grateful to be cleansed and made new yet again. I was grateful to feel the grace poured over me from the fountain of life in that moment.
I was saved when I was 17 years old. It was a very intense experience for me. As I laid before the alter that night and opened myself up to be loved and forgiven by God I had the feeling as if I was being picked up and cradled against someone's chest and carried. And then I felt warmth and security and comfort and safety as I had never imagined could exist as I was placed down and I curled into the bosom of my Lord. It took a long time for me to understand that as I laid across the floor, broken and abused and rejected that night Jesus Himself picked me up (spiritually of course) and He gently carried me to the throne of God and laid me in my Father's arms. Which is the one thing I had always been denied in the way that mattered most. I found everything I needed in that moment.
That was almost 16 years ago. I have had moments of intense worship and closeness with God since then. But never have a felt the presence of Christ as strongly as I did the night of my salvation. Not until this night in a sleepy beach town in Cambodia.
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 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.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean,though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
When preparing for a missions trip one typically has a servant's mindset. You don't sign up to go to another country to be served by the people there. You sign up to go and to serve them; to help them in whatever capacity they need it.
We were told the focus of this mission before the team was even chosen. We were going to serve the local church and to strengthen their leadership, help to raise up new leaders by casting the vision of small groups and discipleship and to help build up their children's ministry. In addition to this we would do whatever else was asked of us along the way-outreaches, building projects, etc.
For six months of fundraising and preparation I had my mind set on the mission; the service. This wasn't too difficult for me, I like to be a behind the scenes runner. I enjoy serving others and taking care of people. I looked forward to this opportunity. I can honestly say I was filled with anticipation to go and serve our hard-working, diligent brothers and sisters and to offer them a period of rest.
When we hit the ground running (almost literally) that first day in Cambodia I started taking in the surroundings and watching the people around me. They introduced a game called Angel and Sheep that I loved because it gave us the opportunity to serve someone else anonymously the whole weekend.
The team there works, volunteers, eats and for some live at the church. Seven days a week their lives are completely wrapped up in ministry business. They hadn't had a break in five years. They were exhausted and burnt out. Pastor Sophea asked our team to lead a leadership retreat, much like our encounter retreats, for his team. To take a few days to pour into them, cast fresh vision, pray with them, equip them to go back out and keep moving with the work God has called them to do and to give them a break. He planned a three day retreat and this is all we knew. When we arrived in Cambodia at 2am we were told the days of the retreat had changed and to be back out of bed in 3hrs for breakfast and to get on the bus for a 4 hour drive-to where we knew not.
Four hours later we pulled into a sleepy, little tourist town on the beach and up to a beautiful hotel that blew our minds. We had not expected this. But Pastor Sophea had arranged this as a break and a treat for his hard-working, devoted team, understanding their need.
We spent three days and two nights there with them. We worshipped, we prayed fiercely over them and with them, we broke bread together (though there was no actual bread involved). We taught sessions and we broke out in small groups and cast vision. We had scheduled times of play so that they could cut loose and have a little bit of break to just be the young people they are. It was a beautiful time of ministry where we watched them come alive again, bonds were formed and relationships that will last a lifetime were birthed. Connections were made between our team and theirs that allowed for us to work together the rest of our time there as if we had always been together.
The second and final night of the leadership retreat Pastors Sophea and Jenny arranged for a surprise for their team and ours-a foot washing ceremony. Our pastor and one of the ladies from our group joined to assist them. None of us had ever been a party to one of these services, and as we found out later, neither had any of the Cambodian team.
I can't speak for anyone else present that night. I can only speak from own experience. Most of us have read or heard the account of Jesus washing His disciples feet that I posted above. I had. And I had heard from others what foot washing ceremonies were like. Not ever having experienced it for myself, I didn't understand it full though-like any experience in life.
I'll be honest. I always thought that the idea of this kind of service was a little weird and awkward. And though I am not a total germaphobe or anything, the idea of everyone's feet being dipped in the same water has always seemed a little gross to me. I just want to keep it real. When we all mixed in and took our seats around the circle I felt more than a little uncomfortable with the the entire situation for multiple reasons.
The first being what I just stated-I thought the whole thing a little awkward and kind of gross. The second reason was I wasn't sure who would be washing my feet. I thought it would be strange and uncomfortable to have Pastor Mark and Rachael doing such a thing. We are a team, we are all in this together. And if anything I should be washing my pastors feet, not the other way around. And the idea of Pastors Sophea and Jenny washing my feet seemed absurd.
I really just couldn't understand why our team was even involved in this. Especially in the way we were-being served. We came to serve them. We came to serve this team, these pastors, we should be honoring them, cleansing them, serving them. Not these hard-working, weary pastors serving us.
I was having a difficult time with this as I looked around the room and took in others' reactions. I could others in our group that seemed to be struggling with it like I was, though I don't know the thoughts going through their minds. Others of our team were smiling and whispering with each other and enjoying a private joke as things were getting started. The Cambodian team was quiet, solemn and there seemed many mixed emotions going on within them as well.
As the the pastors began working in opposite directions from a common starting point they were directly across the circle from me. The first couple people that they tended to I was still feeling uncomfortable and curious as I took in my surroundings. In my studies of Cambodian culture I learned that bowing your head is a sign of respect with the Khmer people. The higher placement of the fingertips on the face, the higher show of respect. I saw many of their team, heads bowed, place their folded hands all the way to the eyebrow-the highest display of respect. This moved me deeply. And at first I saw it as a sign of great respect for their pastors as they were being served in such a humble manner.
Have you ever been sitting in a room with your back to the door and even though you couldn't see or even hear it, you could sense the moment someone else walked into the room? You could sense the presence of another in the room with you? This is how everything in that moment changed for me.
As I sat there taking in the reactions of those across from me in the large circle, wondering still why we weren't washing their feet, I sensed the moment He appeared in the room. Jesus joined us and the scriptures came alive before me. Not only did I feel His presence the moment He made it known, but I observed each person around the circle as they felt Him too. The wave of brokenness before Him and the heightened worship that manifested in every soul there was truly one of the most precious moments I've ever experienced. Honestly, it made me look forward to that day in heaven when we will all be bowed before Him in worship together, humbled by His magnificence.
As I broke before my Lord I saw others who were smiling only moments before now had their heads bowed and were beginning to sob, men clinging to their chairs to hold onto the last shreds of composure, young women hiding their faces within shirt collars and folded hands, scarves being wrapped around faces as cries broke free. It was an intense moment that no words can ever truly describe accurately this side of heaven.
The shift in my thinking went from feeling that I should be serving this team and not the other way around, to "Jesus, I am so unworthy of this. I'm here to honor and serve you." All I felt was immense love being poured over me, as if I was being showered and washed by it. I could do nothing, but love Him and bow before Him, humbled beyond belief.
When my pastor and teammate knelt before me to wash my feet I no longer felt uncomfortable and awkward. I felt grateful and blessed beyond measure. I didn't see Mark and Rachael before me anymore. I saw the hands of Christ working to cleanse me once again and renew my strength.
When I saw the dirty water that so many filthy flip-flop clad feet had been washed in I didn't feel grossed out as I thought I would. I sobbed before that dirty water. I saw it as the filth of this world that clings to us as we walk in our flesh in a sin-cursed world that tries its best to stick to us and pull us back to darkness. This was a visible, tangible example of the sanctification process that the Holy Spirit takes us through. And no one can cleanse us this way, but the Son of God, our Savior, Jesus.
I was grateful to be cleansed and made new yet again. I was grateful to feel the grace poured over me from the fountain of life in that moment.
I was saved when I was 17 years old. It was a very intense experience for me. As I laid before the alter that night and opened myself up to be loved and forgiven by God I had the feeling as if I was being picked up and cradled against someone's chest and carried. And then I felt warmth and security and comfort and safety as I had never imagined could exist as I was placed down and I curled into the bosom of my Lord. It took a long time for me to understand that as I laid across the floor, broken and abused and rejected that night Jesus Himself picked me up (spiritually of course) and He gently carried me to the throne of God and laid me in my Father's arms. Which is the one thing I had always been denied in the way that mattered most. I found everything I needed in that moment.
That was almost 16 years ago. I have had moments of intense worship and closeness with God since then. But never have a felt the presence of Christ as strongly as I did the night of my salvation. Not until this night in a sleepy beach town in Cambodia.
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