Believing and Understanding

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage
John 13:1-30

⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”  ⁸ Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”  Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” ....  ¹² So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?  John 13:7-8, 12 (NKJV)

This is the great story of the time surrounding the institution of the Lord's Supper in which Jesus stooped and washed the disciples' feet.  This act of service done by Jesus is indictive of the PURPOSE and END of properly recieving Holy Communion.  It speaks of forgiveness, cleansing, and reconciliation.  POWERFUL!  We would do well to look further at this great event.

I want now however to pick up a sub-plot that runs through the story and speaks to a broader pattern of how God works in our lives.  Jesus told the disciples "I am going to do something to you -- I'm going to wash your feet."  He then told them that they would NOT NOW UNDERSTAND.  But, that they would understand later.

This is the way God often works in our lives.  He doesn't always explain things fully at first.  He just does it!  Then He later begins to explain to us what He did.

This is way we get saved!  At the point of salvation, very few know what it really means.  Jesus does not then fully explain the implications of the Cross.  We usually do not then learn the wonderful truths of His substitutionary, vicarious, atoning death that carries away our sins thus giving us a new life and a new identity.  We barely fathom the meaning of righteousness before God and thereby being a new creature with all the resulting priviledges and fruit.

Jesus says to us, "What I am doing (in saving you) you do not understand now, but you will know after this."  Such is the joy of growing in the Lord.  We learn and plumb the depths of what He has already done for us.

Rarely, do we at first understand.  We must begin by faith.  We must believe.  There is an old story from the Middle Ages surrounding two great leaders of that time.  They were St. Anselm of Canterbury and the great theologian Peter Abelard.  One of Anselm's great quotes is this, "I believe that I might understand."  In other words, we must begin by BELIEVING.  Only later will be begin to understand.  Abelard took the opposite position.  He stated, "I understand that I might believe."  He began with DOUBT.  He required that God make explanation to him, before he would take steps of faith. 

Certainly both of these postions have some value.  I believe it is important for us all to seek answers to hard questions.  BUT WE BEGIN WITH FAITH.

Understanding will come...it will come...if we pursue the Lord with open hearts and open minds...it will come.  It is a noble thing to search out a matter.  But we begin by trust in a God who loves us will do us good.