Washed by the water of His word
Hello Bride of Christ,
When I first became a Christian I quickly realized I needed to learn a new language, Christianese. Every time I was around seasoned believers they would use terms I just did not understand or recognize. You can also see this happen in any industry. Everyone who is well acquainted with the topic will speak in acronyms or jargon specific to this industry without realizing what they are saying only makes sense to those who are well versed as well to the topic. In turn, their words sort of fall on deaf ears when the person is new and trying to learn. Most of what they share is missed because it is simply too much for the new person to grasp. Well, this was brought to my remembrance and there is one "Christian" concept in the word I think is critical to our walks and is worthy of a pause to explain and experience. It is the concept of letting God wash you with the water of His word.
What does this mean? How do we do this? Why do we do this?
Simply put, God desires to renew our thinking, declutter our thoughts, give us insight to His thoughts, plans, and approach for our lives and His creation. In order to accomplish this, God needs to give our minds a bath. Good hygiene calls for this bath like the physical to happen daily. Spiritually our minds need to be bathed and washed daily.
As with a physical bath, there must be some water and soap involved to scrub away the dirt. God has provided His Son, Jesus, as the soap to disinfect us and His word, as the water to cleanse us. So once we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior (salvation) our relationship with our Creator, the living God, is restored and now we can daily come before Him. Come before Him for a washing.
Daily we are called to meditate on His word (Psalm 1:2). The washing begins. As we read the bible and study the scriptures for understanding, the Lord begins to give us different thoughts. All our senses are impacted. We see, hear, feel, and smell differently. The why behind this processes is love.
God loves us so much that He desires to cleanse us with the washing of water by His word so that He might present us to Himself as a glorious Bride, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that we should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27)
I learn best by doing, so let us take time now together to allow the Lord to wash us! Read and reflect on the following verses. Think about the meaning of the words, who said the words, who it is written to, the relationship between the verses, what they say about you, and what they say about God and His character.
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." 1 John 3:1
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God" 1 John 4:7
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:5-6
"Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." Psalm 51:2
"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you. abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:9-12
"But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. " Titus3: 4-7
"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves but for Him who died for them and rose again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us" Ephesians 2:4
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19
Bride of Christ, I pray within these scriptures, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has given you a washing. That your mind has been renewed to realize that God loves you and that He is asking you to walk and live life as a loved person. "Oh give, thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so" (Psalm 107:1-2).
