Not Now, But Later

Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.

John 13:7

Christ’s discourse and actions on the night before His crucifixion are full of meaning for us. One of His actions was to remove His outer garments, wrap a towel around His waist and wash the feet of His disciples one by one, thus assuming the role of a servant. When he arrived at Peter, he protested saying, ‘Lord are You washing my feet?’ Jesus responded with the words of our text. Christ was fulfilling His role as the One Who came, not to be served, but to serve. He was performing this menial task to teach the disciples by example how to imitate Him. He was also demonstrating the daily cleansing of having an ongoing relationship with Him. At the moment He washed Peter’s feet, he understood nothing of the implications of Christ’s actions. When Christ responded with the words, ‘What I am doing you do understand now, but you will know after this,’ He was making a statement that applies to us all. Christ is doing something in our lives all the time. He is bringing to pass events and interactions which have meaning in the larger scheme of things. We often do not understand the meaning of those things at the time they occur. What we do need to know is that He is working in our life today and that we will understand the meaning in His time. He shall make all things clear.

Our Gracious and Loving God,
we rejoice that You are working in our lives all the time.
We praise You that in due course of time,
You will enable us to understand.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning