Go in Dirty, Come out Clean

As part of the Awakening Conference, we were challenged to run an all night Prayer Vigil, interceding for the nations, Squads and whatever else came to our heart. The irony behind this night was the location…the laundry room!

 

It was small and cold, yet was exactly where we needed to be. It was on the far side of the campground, so we didn’t have to limit the noise. As people gathered throughout the night, at different hours, from different Squads, voices and tears were lifted up as we praised his name and asked for the Nations!

 

The longer I stayed in the room, the harder it was to stay awake and stay warm, but I knew it was where I needed to be. It was a night to let our voices be heard. A night to come into agreement and pour out our hearts and leave our rights behind. At one point, we had three guitars and well over 15 people in this small space, singing our hearts out for four hours! We were a unified body! I was so proud of our Squad for sticking it out and letting Him take the place of sleep, knowing that by being obedient to Him, He would fill us up and give us the necessary energy for the day ahead!

 

With washing machines and sinks against the walls, I began to see why we needed to be where we were. We come to God as dirty clothes go into a washing machine. We come dirty and stinky. We have no hope of getting clean being on the outside of the machine…turning our backs to God. We need to dive in and get wet in order to be clean. Time and time again, we must take the step to be clean. We are not perfect. We can’t do it on our own. 

 

As this realization played out, I saw us bringing the Nations before God, asking Him to restore the Nations and bring healing to the broken-hearted! Clothes don’t stay clean very long, and neither do we…yet we don’t just toss them out when they are dirty, just as He doesn’t leave us when we become dirty through sin. We wash them so they can be clean again. Christ asks us to come to Him as we are so that He can purify us!

 

Regardless of whether you are praying all night in a laundry room or not, keep praying and turning to Him, no matter how dirty you may feel!! He wants to hear the cries of His children!