Christians, recently when I was reading a book and doing the included study guide, a question provoked a thought and idea about showering. I believe that most people have a desire to be clean when they leave the house. They do not want people to think they stink, or that they are a mess. People will plan into their day the time they need to shower. If necessary they will get up early to have time. Even if they have a commitment and time is short, they will even take a “power shower” just to get freshened up before they go. Depending on the day, what they are doing, where they are going, they may even take a morning and evening shower just to keep clean. What does all of this have to do with the Christian life? For myself, I believe God showed me that I need to have the same intentionality with my relationship with Him and spending time in His Word, as I would focus on showering.
American Hygiene has improved much since its early days. I remember old western movies where the cowboys would look like they hadn’t bathed in months, they would get to the hotel and pay for a bath. Now every hotel has showers in the room, we have them at gyms, every home has at least one, usually multiple showers/baths. Cleanliness has become an important part of our physical society. Yet the Word of God, which has been publicly BANNED and removed from public places, shows how our nation is getting dirtier and dirtier with sin. Schools, courthouses, public places, prayer in meetings, even the simple nativity scene are all attacked, removed, or threatened. This should not worry us Christians, it says in the end days, people will become more and more sinful, that is a given. However, we should not be dragged down with them. We should be carrying the light and Word with us when we go out, and we should get cleaned up when we come home from a day in the dirty world.
Too many times we go days, weeks, maybe months in between “spiritual showers.” We start a good teaching series or book, but do not finish it. We read the Bible for a few days, but then we get busy doing other things. We listen to praise music, but then we fill our ears with other things. If we are not careful, the filth of the world will accumulate on us, and start to change our perception of clean and dirty – right and wrong. We must purpose to clean ourselves daily, not out of religious obligation or duty, but out of a desire to be pure, clean, and Holy for our God. As His bride, the Church, is purposed to remain pure and spotless waiting the day of His coming. We need to be daily ready, we cannot wait and think we will get ourselves all “showered” up 5 minutes before He returns.
When we minister to people, when we run errands, perform tasks, or work in the world, we are guaranteed to get dirty from those around us. We need to continually pursue our own spiritual cleanliness, so we do not carry the world’s dirt from one situation to the next. Imagine a surgeon before surgery, we have all seen them scrub up, making sure to maintain a sterile environment before they go to work on someone. They do not walk out of one operating room and into the next one, hands bloodied, and dirty. They could transmit diseases from their last procedure, to their next one. We do not want to transfer dirt from our job, to our family, to our Church body, to our neighbors, to the people we run into in public. We do not want to spread other’s spiritual “diseases.” We must continually wash ourselves with the Word of God, cleanse ourselves in His Word, written and spoken, in music, teachings, reading the Bible.
Depending on time, our shower lengths, intensity, and focus may vary. It is the same with our spiritual cleansing. If you have time, you may read for an hour, or listen to music for 45 minutes, or pray for 30 minutes, or sit still and listen to God for 15. Any of these things, depending on your schedule will help you throughout your day. Let the Lord lead you, do not try to make your spiritual routine a religious burden. Spend time with God, in His Word, presence and truth and watch the water of His Word, wash you anew day after day. See how you carry His fragrance like sweet perfume or cologne into the world, instead of the stench of your day or week. Look for opportunities to take a quick spiritual “power shower” throughout the day, whenever you feel you have gotten a little dirty. From office gossip, to listening to someone’s hurts and pains, or maybe praying and ministering to a hurting soul. We must NOT avoid getting dirty! That will happen when we do God’s “dirty” work, but we must be as adamant about getting ourselves clean again.
The more clean we are, the more aware we are of when we get dirty. The more time you spend clean, the less desire you will have to be dirty. If I will purpose to keep myself clean spiritually like I would physically, then NOTHING could stick to me. Father God, we thank you for your Word and presence which purify us, help us to look at our time together as cleansing, renewing, and refreshing. We thank you for a desire to remain spotless, help us to remain ready and clean until the day of your return. I pray in Jesus name, Amen.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NLT)
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. II Corinthians 7:1 (NLT)
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)
Victory Statement-If you have been or are in a spiritual battle, read this Victory Statement over yourself and your situation, to purify yourselves from the things that are trying to get on you and stay on you, in Jesus name, Amen
written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2018
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