While I was at training camp, I heard a very specific phrase repeatedly
and God has since continued to speak it into my life in ways too
numerous to count. He’s spoken to me “washed clean.” I’m fairly certain
that this phrase will go with me throughout the next year. God’s already
been speaking it again since we’ve been here in the Philippines.
Yesterday
morning, we took a hike out to a beautiful waterfall. As we made our
way up into the jungle, we crossed a river of perfectly clear, clean
water about 8 times. As we arrived at the waterfall, I was blown away by
it’s beauty and it’s cleanliness. I ended up jumping from a cliff next
to the waterfall and feeling for myself how crisp and clean It was.
From
the 1 hour hike through rivers, mud and rocks, I was sweaty and
anything but clean. But when I jumped from that cliff and hit the water,
I was completely saturated by a crisp, clean well of water. I
immediately felt cleansed and rejuvenated.
Throughout the day, we
worked in Pastor Al’s yard, cleaning out ditches and transporting rocks
from one area to another. Once again, my physical body was filthy and
disgusting.
We decided to take a trip out to the beach to clean
off and planned to stop at the river on the walk back to take baths. But
our beach stay was cut short by a brewing storm. Lightning began to
strike so we decided to make our way back up to the river and the
pastor’s house. But knowing that we would get wet one way or the other,
we decided to stop at the river to get cleaned up on the way. So on a
split second decision, we ended up in our bathing suits, in the middle
of the river, in the middle of the thunderstorm, being completely
cleansed from all the dirt of the day. My first real shower happened in a
river 3 days after my last one!
I found myself rejoicing in
God’s cleansing rain. I never thought I could feel so clean and
refreshed from a river! And once again, that phrase washed over
me…”washed clean.”
I’m realizing more and more that it’s not
about how clean we can make ourselves. Sometimes we literally don’t have
the tools to cleanse ourselves and in the issue of our sin, we can’t
scrub hard enough, take enough showers or provide the water to bathe in.
In my case yesterday, God provided the shower, the water and the
cleansing. I don’t think I could ever duplicate it and it will forever
be something that I won’t ever forget. I left the river feeling more
clean than I think I’ve ever felt in my life.
I think what God
is speaking to me personally is that we all need cleansing…we all want
to feel rejuvenated and clean. And He’s going to lead me in areas and
into women’s hearts to shower His cleansing grace and magnificent love
for them.
It’s the most unbelievable feeling to be cleansed when
God provides the cleansing. My prayer is that God will use me to show
others the same kind of spiritual cleansing. I can’t wait to share that
experience with others we get to minister to!!
There’s nothing
like God’s cleansing power! May He wash over this island in a mighty way
and cleanse those who can’t see past the muck and mire to something
beautiful and delightful! He wants to wash away the dirt and mud from
our lives and His delight is in washing us and watching us walk away
clean and ready to serve Him. I can’t wait to share that with the women
here!
