Friday, August 3, 2007
Genesis 18:4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.
THE GOOD SERVANT GIVES REST
Out where Abraham lived, the climate was hot and dry. Travelers on the dusty road would be in need of refreshment. "Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree," Abraham said.
A good servant carries out his duties in such a way that others can rest and relax. There is no doubt that rest and refreshment is something all of us need. Don't we enjoy vacations and time away from the "daily grind"? Don't we like to put our feet up in an air-conditioned room after a hot afternoon mowing the lawn? Our bodies were designed to work and then to rest. So the servant works in order to give others the rest they need.
Here, Abraham provided rest and refreshment by washing the feet of his guests and giving them a place under the shade of his trees. Our Lord Jesus Christ refreshes us with water too: the water of baptism in which He washes away our sins and puts His own name on us, making us members of His spiritual family. He further gives us rest in His word, where He gives peace to our souls through the forgiveness of sins and through the promises that He will care for all of our needs. Finally, He will give us rest in heaven where our labors will no longer be troubled by sin and its effects. "Come to me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," Jesus says.
