After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:5)

Before the Passover meal, Jesus took off His outer robe. He got down on His hands and knees, picked up the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet.  As Jesus made His way around the room, Peter was watching. Always one to speak his mind, he blurted out, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” (John 13:6). It’s almost as though he didn’t want to humble himself in this way. Perhaps he saw that it had symbolic meaning and, in spite of the fact that he had already bathed, the implication was that he was dirty again.  There are people like that today who say, “I haven’t sinned. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m a good person. I don’t need God’s forgiveness.” But everybody needs it.  Jesus told Peter, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean…” (verse 10). In other words, once you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you don’t need to be saved again and again.   You don’t have to shower over and over. Once you have received Christ into your life and have asked Him to forgive you, then you are forgiven. Christ has already come into your heart…but you do need regular cleansing.

I know that my sin is forgiven; I know my final destination is heaven, but on a daily basis I do need to say, “Lord, forgive me.” Jesus taught us that we should regularly pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). So it’s a good thing to say, “Lord, cleanse me. Forgive me.” Because we need constant cleansing.