Custodian of the Cosmos

Last updated on: April 21, 2015 at 12:09 pm by Kenneth Tanner

Custodian of the Cosmos 2015-04-21T12:09:32-04:00 Kenneth Tanner

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When Jesus wraps a towel around his waist and washes the feet of his disciples he gives us a portrait of the unseen Father, who holds all things together–visible and invisible–as an unassuming, humble servant.

When we dare to mess around with the invisible structures by which God holds the visible world together–splitting atoms, for instance–we witness the awesome energy generated by the smallest (not to mention unwise) manipulation of his handiwork.

Yet this incalculable energy–even the smallest fraction of it leaves us in awe–is harnessed to an extreme humility.

What this moment at the last supper reveals, what this washing of feet shows us, is that the power of God has its origin not in what fallen human imagination supposes–not in great demonstrations of might, of subatomic or interstellar power–but in innumerable divine acts of indiscriminate stewardship.

He quite literally cares for all things, great and small, from what may even seem useless to us–the things we would throw away–to things of such exquisite beauty we are left without words.

God is the great janitor, kneeling on the floor of the universe, towel in hand, ready to do the menial work.

It turns out that cleanliness is next to godliness. He washes us. He cleanses the creation. This Custodian makes all things well and all things new. And he does so by knees that kneel and hands that serve.

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