Cleansing

Courtesy of Ann Voskamp

This is something that occurred to me earlier this evening. I'm one of those people who dislikes taking baths. I think it's gross. I am a pretty high strung person and have been told on countless occasions that maybe a bath would help me calm down.

Having been feeling a bit under the weather both physically and mentally, I decided to use this Lush bath bomb I bought a few weeks ago, take a book, and take a bath. Specifically, this one, called Sakura. I filled the tub with almost hot water, dunked the fizz tablet in, and got in with a book.

I put the book away after a few minutes, and started scrubbing with a pumice stone. As I did this, prayers just started coming out in full force. I put the stone down, relaxed into the water, and kept praying, and speaking to God. It was powerful. It was beautiful. It was full of release. I felt like a great weight had been lifted in that feeling of tranquility and vulnerability. It felt like scrubbing away the skin was also scrubbing away my sins as I cried and prayed asked for forgiveness, strength, guidance, love, hope.

A simple act renewed me. It made me feel a sense of peace and release that's hard to explain unless you've experienced it yourself. It feel like being cleaned, purified. I hadn't realized until tonight how much weight I was holding on myself.

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Sometimes physical, emotional, spiritual cleansing occurring at the same time can be an amazing God given gift that we need. Maybe this works of me and not others, but I feel blessed.

The words repent/repentance, are mentioned over 100 times in the Bible. There are varying definitions of what repentance means, which is why I love the Amplified version that shows what different translations give as the meaning of a certain verse/word.
From the Amplified version: "So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that our sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, or reviving with fresh air) may com from the presence of the Lord;" Acts 3:19
If we [freely] admint 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 [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. 1 John 1:9