Going Deeper

Most of us take a bath or shower every day because our bodies have the ability to collect dirt, grime, muck and basically, make us unclean. We don’t go out to pursue the dirt of the world but we are surrounded by enough impurities that we should realize our need to be washed.

The process of “showering” is as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Simple-you shower to get clean-you’re in and out. Complex is you focus on all of the movements starting from the feet touching the cold ground, through the warm water soothing your aches, the invigorating feeling of cleanliness to the last swipe of the soft towel on your skin. You relish and enjoy every part of the shower. When you’re done, you’re clean!

The method you choose in the shower to become clean is important too. With a handheld shower wand, we can take it off and direct the spray of water when we want to, where we want to and at what intensity we want to. We can enjoy the control we have. In the end, we get adequately clean in a shower wherever we aim the water to hit.

The process of “bathing” is different. It is as simple as immersing ourselves into a tub of soapy, hot water. A hot bath will “cleanse” you. You don’t have to be in a hurry. Just soak in it. Enjoy the aroma and bubbles. Let it stimulate your nervous system, exfoliate your skin and relax your muscles. Let the water cover every inch of you and cleanse you. This time you have no say over where the water goes. It goes EVERYWHERE and you thoroughly enjoy it.

Sometimes being a believer, is like taking a shower or a bath when it comes to things of God and the Holy Spirit. It’s either as simple as believing, accepting Him and living for him and becoming “clean” enough. We let Him shower us while we just stand there. We will be adequately clean. Or, it’s as complex as letting go of the wand, stepping down into the tub and letting Him have total control to completely calm us, relax us, re-charge us and cleanse us more fully the way He wants.

In our walk, we tend to believe a shower is good enough and God is in control but at the same time, we are in and out and our hand is always on the wand. We always have a bit of control A bath, on the other hand, stimulates, exfoliates, and relaxes and cleanses us deeper. We get wet in places we can’t even see. God is in control of the whole process. We don’t need the wand and have learn to let go of it and relax.

Would you prefer a shower or a bath? Your way or God’s way? Become clean by being sprinkled or get cleansed by being immersed? Is there a difference between being “clean” and “cleansed?” Both mean you are free of dirt or impurities. Clean is free of dirt and washed outside. When we accept Christ, we are free and clean. Cleansed is removing dirt on the inside also AND stimulating our nervous system, exfoliating dead tissue and relaxing by going deep. As Christians, our spiritual nervous system needs to be stimulated by the one who cleanses us. We need to “exfoliate” the spiritually dead areas in our walk and relax and let God have control. Give up your wand!

It’s time for us to put down the the wand and get into a deep, deep bathtub. In the bathtub, we don’t have to hold up and control the wand and work to get the parts we want wet wet and keep dry the parts we want dry. When we get into the deep water, we can sit, relax and soak it all in. We are covered-totally covered and get everything we don’t need removed and get everything we do need, restored and rejuvenated.

Life is tough, messy and dirty. We are pulled towards becoming clean and reinvigorated. Tub or shower? Control or no control? As far as the outcome, the cleanliness will be the same but wouldn’t we rather have a deep, restorative spiritual cleanse by Him than a quick shower on the outside controlled by us? It is not automatic to keep our relationship with the Lord fresh, active and invigorating over our lifetime. We must do our part. Don’t let it become a quick routine shower. We must actively pursue God and go deeper with him. The point of going deeper with God is not to know Him on a surface level but to give Him control and go deeper in the things of God. A bath sets you free from sin and death, dirt, impurities, self control and all the other muck of this world. Know that you are cleansed. The challenge is to know him deeper and truly give him control of our lives.

“Deep calls into deep at the noise of your waterfalls; all your waves and billows have gone over me.”

“ And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the waters go, will live.” Ez. 47:9