Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” John 13:7

Jesus bent down to wash the disciples’ feet in one of the most memorable passages of scripture and during one of the holiest holidays for the Jewish people. Simon Peter asked Christ why – and this is the answer Jesus gave. Christ’s answer in John 13:7 can be applied to every why we ask him even now.

When life doesn’t turn out quite like we plan and when things go array, it is human nature to ask why. We can take solace in Christ’s answer to Peter and accept it as an answer to our own why’s. We may not understand now what is happening but there will come a time when it will all be revealed.

Christ explained only a few verses after John 13:7 that he served the disciples in this manner so that they might in turn serve each other the same way.

Sometimes, the why is immediately revealed. Many other times, though, the why is not revealed until months or even years later. Still other times, the why will not be revealed until a full lifetime has passed and sometimes, even then the why won’t be revealed until eternity.

You may not understand what God is doing in your life now and you may not have it revealed in this lifetime, but Christ promises that afterward you will understand.

In this famous scene, Christ teaches us how to emulate him. In the face of every ‘why’ we have the opportunity to emulate Christ. Shortly after this scene we know that Christ followed God’s will even to death.  Despite our desire for an immediate answer to a why, are we willing to put that down in the face of following God?

Asking why is not the problem, letting the need for why rule your life instead of the need for Christ, however, is problem.

Precious Lord,

We watched you serve your disciples with a sure and relentless love. You didn’t ask your Father why but we are mere humans. Bear with us in our weaknesses. Help us to trust that you will reveal all at the end – let our desire be more for revelation of you and revelation of why. Forgive our frailty and reveal to us the areas where we are more focused on figuring out why than we are focused on finding you. Give us strength and courage to stop asking you why and start asking for more of you. In your name, Amen.

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