Good morning. “Men sweat, women glisten.” I’m not sure who came up with that one, but in my experience it doesn’t much matter whether you are young or old, male or female, or what race-creed-nation-or kind, there are times when we need a shower. Perhaps we have been working hard and when the job is done, we need a shower. Perhaps we have been playing hard and when the fun is done, we need a shower. Perhaps we have been handling something unpleasant, maybe even something like nasty garbage, and when we’re done with the task, we need a shower. You know that you need one, and if for some reason you don’t know, there are people around you who are glad to point it out: “You need a shower!”
The only problem with taking that needed shower is that before long we will be back at some kind of work, or play, or dealing with stinky stuff and once again, we need a shower. It is a constantly reoccurring problem, and one with the same remedy.
When it comes to our spiritual life, we need a shower. We need to be free of the stinky stuff and to be made clean.
Fortunately, the cleansing we need is as close as our prayers. If we admit to our need, look to Jesus for the remedy, and embrace His grace, we are once again made clean.
If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises), and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness (our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose). 1 John 1:7-9 (expansions in parenthesis are my own)
At the heart of this wonderful passage that relates a critical promise of God we have this: Jesus will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually.
This washing from Jesus is a continuous process, and Lord knows, we need it!
There are times when there is no doubt about it, we need that spiritual cleansing, that shower of blessing which frees us from the entanglements of sin. Praise God for His constant willingness to forgive our sins, to forget our sins, to cleanse us from all consequence of our sins. Fresh as a daisy, sweet as a rose, He washes away the problem and leaves us…lovely.
Vern