Have you you ever wished that God would shower you off on the inside? When life's pressures, pains and sufferings mount up in our minds and spill into our emotional pool, we feel a film of dirt on our soul that robs our peace. Situations in our environment convolute our clear thinking causing us to muddle our thoughts with worry, anger and regret as we go through our day or try to go to sleep. Our minds become a sewage processing plant and no human effort can stop its churning.
Over the weekend I worked in the garden and needless to say I was covered in dirt. I couldn't wait to conclude my day with a cool, soapy shower. I love the whole process of "dolling up" sometimes but there's nothing like a simple good scrubbing and then gobbing lotion all over clean skin and leaving it at that. As I was showering and thinking about some current problems, my mind thought of how nice it would be if we could just scrub our consciences and thoughts, then, rub a healing balm on and just start anew.
May times my mind feels like a pinball machine with constant action going on. Relentless thoughts and worries about safety issues, salvation for lost souls, fear of the future, shame of the past, current sufferings... I find my body exhausted while my mind races on. Not every moment is like that but when it does get in that state it seems impossible to put the brakes on.
The current terror event in Orlando, Florida, where 50 people were shot to death and approximately 50 more hospitalized was a stunningly shocking jolt as the details reverberated through news and social media. No matter how far removed you are from such horror it still haunts the mind and emotions. There is an inner disturbance of the soul as our minds try desperately to make sense of the senseless. Our children ask questions and in our attempts to calm them we drink from the cup of our condolences just to relieve our own confusion.
This world is like a tsunami of unreasonable circumstances that keep our minds in constant flux about whether to exhale or hold our breath. We ask ourselves if it's alright to relax and feel joy or should we be on guard not only in our physical world but also in our prayers. Our eyes jart about in suspicion while our minds teeter with the thought of whether today we will live or die. Our souls are dirty with the realities of evil, mud smeared windows that we are forced to look at life through. Because we are lovers of life and appreciate the gifts of hope and peace, these lovers of evil, who live to destroy, then die, are nothing more than stains that won't come out.
Can God keep our windows clean when mud is constantly being flung at us? Can our souls know purity and peace in a filthy world? Can we live a life of joy when wolves are prowling around us? Of course. Our choice with no uncertain terms is to live free, experience every moment, have laughter on our lips and joy in our hearts and we can live this way by casting our cares upon God (1 Peter 5:7) "Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you."). Moment by moment, every day, week after week for the duration of our grace given life. Soaking ourselves in Gods beautiful Word, dwelling in His presence through prayer, our fellowship with other believers are all blessings that loosen the caked on mud. John 14:27 says, "My peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
Just as we would soak our bodies in a bath tub, we are given a spiritual bath to soak in through Gods Holy Spirit. As our thoughts become consumed through the news of evil encroaching, we can process that information for the purpose of offering prayers while at the same time soaking in Gods Word so that it doesn't stain our souls. If we try to live absent of practicing these blessings that God has given to us then we are just children covered in the mud of fear and worry.
Psalm 92:4-8, For You make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the work of Your hands. How great are Your works O Lord, how profound Your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. But You O Lord, will be exalted forever.
Wash us Lord, from the inside out with the anointing of your Holy Spirit. I know this world and it's sinful ways grieve your heart, so let your tears of compassion for your children also wash us clean. Don't let the stains of this world askew our view of the blessings and joys that you want us to see. Use even our own tears to wash us as we are moved to great emotion over the cruelty in this world and disregard for life. Wash us clean Lord, with the tears of those who who hold us and comfort us in our times of pain and sorrow. Wash us, O Lord.
Matthew 8:2, A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am wiling." He said, "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
Thank you sweet Jesus for making us clean.
Over the weekend I worked in the garden and needless to say I was covered in dirt. I couldn't wait to conclude my day with a cool, soapy shower. I love the whole process of "dolling up" sometimes but there's nothing like a simple good scrubbing and then gobbing lotion all over clean skin and leaving it at that. As I was showering and thinking about some current problems, my mind thought of how nice it would be if we could just scrub our consciences and thoughts, then, rub a healing balm on and just start anew.
May times my mind feels like a pinball machine with constant action going on. Relentless thoughts and worries about safety issues, salvation for lost souls, fear of the future, shame of the past, current sufferings... I find my body exhausted while my mind races on. Not every moment is like that but when it does get in that state it seems impossible to put the brakes on.
The current terror event in Orlando, Florida, where 50 people were shot to death and approximately 50 more hospitalized was a stunningly shocking jolt as the details reverberated through news and social media. No matter how far removed you are from such horror it still haunts the mind and emotions. There is an inner disturbance of the soul as our minds try desperately to make sense of the senseless. Our children ask questions and in our attempts to calm them we drink from the cup of our condolences just to relieve our own confusion.
This world is like a tsunami of unreasonable circumstances that keep our minds in constant flux about whether to exhale or hold our breath. We ask ourselves if it's alright to relax and feel joy or should we be on guard not only in our physical world but also in our prayers. Our eyes jart about in suspicion while our minds teeter with the thought of whether today we will live or die. Our souls are dirty with the realities of evil, mud smeared windows that we are forced to look at life through. Because we are lovers of life and appreciate the gifts of hope and peace, these lovers of evil, who live to destroy, then die, are nothing more than stains that won't come out.
Can God keep our windows clean when mud is constantly being flung at us? Can our souls know purity and peace in a filthy world? Can we live a life of joy when wolves are prowling around us? Of course. Our choice with no uncertain terms is to live free, experience every moment, have laughter on our lips and joy in our hearts and we can live this way by casting our cares upon God (1 Peter 5:7) "Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you."). Moment by moment, every day, week after week for the duration of our grace given life. Soaking ourselves in Gods beautiful Word, dwelling in His presence through prayer, our fellowship with other believers are all blessings that loosen the caked on mud. John 14:27 says, "My peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
Just as we would soak our bodies in a bath tub, we are given a spiritual bath to soak in through Gods Holy Spirit. As our thoughts become consumed through the news of evil encroaching, we can process that information for the purpose of offering prayers while at the same time soaking in Gods Word so that it doesn't stain our souls. If we try to live absent of practicing these blessings that God has given to us then we are just children covered in the mud of fear and worry.
Psalm 92:4-8, For You make me glad by Your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the work of Your hands. How great are Your works O Lord, how profound Your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. But You O Lord, will be exalted forever.
Wash us Lord, from the inside out with the anointing of your Holy Spirit. I know this world and it's sinful ways grieve your heart, so let your tears of compassion for your children also wash us clean. Don't let the stains of this world askew our view of the blessings and joys that you want us to see. Use even our own tears to wash us as we are moved to great emotion over the cruelty in this world and disregard for life. Wash us clean Lord, with the tears of those who who hold us and comfort us in our times of pain and sorrow. Wash us, O Lord.
Matthew 8:2, A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am wiling." He said, "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
Thank you sweet Jesus for making us clean.
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