For the past three days, we’ve talked about Mikveh, the ancient cleansing ritual practiced by the Israelites before entering a place of worship, and we’ve looked at how it applies to our lives as believers today. So far, we’ve learned that the Jews would wash their head, their chest, and their hands, and today, I want to teach you about the fourth and final part of this pre-worship rite, which was washing the feet. Though this seems a little strange in a modern context, in Biblical times, feet represented a person’s divine mission and destiny. In other words, they were the practical symbol of where someone was and where they were going. Having clean feet meant that a disciple had fully surrendered his or her plans and outcomes to the Lord. Likewise, today, as those who have been reborn in Jesus, our feet are set on a new course — one that points us in the direction of His Kingdom and aligns our mission with His heart. No longer do we look to ourselves when planning the trajectory of our lives; instead, we look to our Good Shepherd, who leads us along the path of righteousness and uses each twist and turn to make us more like Him. Our feet are the most clean when we can say with full conviction and total abandon, “Lord, I pray that I’m at the right place at the right time doing the right thing with the right people.”

My friend, you have clean feet! No matter how discouraged you feel, especially in this strange period of history, you are right where you’re supposed to be. God is the author of each season of your life and He is working in and through every difficulty you face to define His destiny for your future. Though it’s natural to want to leave wilderness periods as quickly as possible, it’s important not to get ahead of your Savior. He is using the present pain to refine your priorities, strengthen your character, and draw you closer to His presence, where there is fullness of joy. As you heed the voice of Jesus moment-by-moment, His Spirit is comforting, empowering, and equipping you to see His goodness and to bring His glory to hungry and hurting hearts.