Devotionals

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Showers
by Curtis Hildebrand [email protected]

People take showers for different reasons. Some people take showers simply to remove dirt and grime. For them it is merely a necessary, mundane ritual needed for for daily cleansing. The feeling for them is that in order to participate in society one has to live up to a certain standard of cleanliness and aromatic freshness. But there is no enjoyment in the process in getting to that point. The feelings of dread and disdain of the emotionally painful process sneak into the shower with the them and then gleefully hold onto them when the ritual is completed. There is almost distaste for all the time and work involved in meeting this basic expectation.
But there are others who gleefully delight in having the exclusive privilege to bask in the warm rain pelting their bodies; massaging and comforting them as they retreat from the pressures of life. Time virtually stands still as they soak in the precious, fluid drops that rain down from above. The nagging problems of daily living are quickly washed away in the discarded wetness after it has served its lofty and majestic purpose. After this time of rejuvenation is finally over, they have a renewed purpose for life and fresh courage to tackle any difficulty that may come their way.
Our attitude towards our relationship with God can mirror these feelings about showering. We can come to God as a mundane ritual with the sole purpose of removing spiritual filth. We reluctantly realize that we need Him to sustain us and help us to survive another monotonous day of painful living. We make a pitiful effort to connect with God regularly only because we are afraid that life will be thrown off course if we don't make some attempt to appease an angry Deity by fulfilling certain traditions and obligations. Bitterness and anger creep into our soul as we seek to fulfill unrealistic expectations that rob us of our joy and peace.
We can also choose the disposition of eagerly yearning for the next opportunity to bathe in God's love, soaking up every priceless drop of mercy that alights upon us from God's throne on high. In this state we are always dreading when this time of sweet fellowship must eventually end. We spend every waking moment searching for secret moments to steal away with our Heavenly Lover. Not only do we realize that our life is greatly enhanced by this divine relationship, but we also see that we have the opportunity to enjoy a depth of intimacy that we could not experience in any other bond.
We each can choose how we view life and our enjoy the special blessings we receive. In our rush to live life we may cruise right by those things that have the potential to invigorate and satisfy our deepest needs. With a new set of eyes we may be able to see new opportunities and blessings we were blinded to before.

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