Soaking

'Soaking' is a concept that I am very excited to talk about./blog about.

At my job at the pub, if I want to clean my tables at the end of a busy night, I get my cloth. I can go to a table that is soiled and rub and rub and rub, but when my cloth is dry it is to no avail, perhaps moving the grime around but certainly not cleaning it.

At 10.15 ish each night I begin cleaning tables. I get some cloth, soak it under the tap, and then clean tables starting at the top of the restaurant area. And you know what, after 3 or 4 tables, the cloth is dry. Those 3 or 4 tables are lovely and clean, but the next will be less so if I carry on without getting a good dunking for my cloth. So I walk all the way back to the bar, soak the cloth again, and carry on. It's hassle walking all that way so many times to re-soak the cloth! But my tables simply wont get clean unless I do it!

In the Christian sense, I'm not sure we really 'get' soaking... but it's just another word for another quite ordinary thing! I think too often we disregard it as some wish-washy meditation/emotional relief for the weak. You know what, soaking is the only way to live! Or we will be dry and no use at all!

When I have had a long days work, or a long summers day of fun, I often come home and just soak in the bath. I need it! Not only for the cleaning purpose, but for the relaxation, for the rest and peace... the fruit of a long bath to me is cleanliness but also, de-stressing, a good thinking time and so better perspective, sometimes nothing at all but some sleep, and hopefully sometimes I smell pretty good after too!

The fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. (Gal 5v22??) Soak in our beautiful Lord and His Spirit! Come and be washed! be cleansed, be relaxed, get some perspective again, and become effective once again for the purposes that you have!

I have found that sometimes I'm really struggling to know truths, lies are coming in.... and whatever I do, I can't kick it. So come soak. Just rest into the presence of our Lord. Just drink of His goodness. and the truths so often just come! Sometimes other people can help, or the Bible, or worship, but sometimes just come empty and with no agenda, possibly even in the bath, and ENJOY. It's an adventure!