The Cleansing
I stand in front
of the bathroom sink,
the slightly
warmer than cold water
running through my fingers.
As the liquid soap
begins to infuse the water
and suds begin to appear,
I reach for
my compression stockings.
As I immerse them
under the water
and begin to
squeeze the soapy water
through them,
I begin to feel
His Spirit stirring.
Early last year,
when deep wounds
appeared on my legs,
over the course of five months,
God did amazing healing work.
Now,
in an effort to
keep swelling down
and fragile skin intact,
these compression stockings
are part of my every day life.
The hand washing of them
is as common each night
as putting on my pajamas
and brushing my teeth.
But, this night –
this night is different.
This night,
as the water flows
over and through
my fingers,
I see more
than compression stockings.
I see me.
And,
unlike ever before,
I feel my own need
to be dipped
and immersed.
From hurtful words,
to misunderstood motives
and never living up to expectations,
to trying and failing,
and failing for not trying,
to losing my patience,
and impatience in my losing,
to missed opportunities
and “opportunities”
I wish I would have missed –
on and on and on –
I, too,
need
the washing of His Word,
the immersion in His love and grace,
the squeezing of His Spirit,
the cleansing of my soul.
Early on in my life,
when deep wounds
appeared on my heart,
over the course of the next
fifty plus years of my life,
God did amazing healing work.
And while
I gained my salvation
in a prayer of repentance,
a declaration of belief,
and surrender to my Savior,
now,
in an effort to
keep my faith walk strong
and to protect and keep
my put-back-together heart intact,
the sanctification of my heart
and the cleansing of my life
is something
I desperately need
every day of my life.
As the warmth
of the water
and the gentle
tugging and pulling
of my hands
washes away
sweat and dirt
from my stockings,
I allow God
to tug and pull
on me, too.
Cleanse me, Lord.
Wash me, Lord.
Remove all
that soils and stains me.
Make me holy
as You are Holy, Lord.
And I am
reminded again,
that it is in
the every day places
of our ordinary lives
that the sacred is found.
Anywhere we are,
God is.
And,
God is at work.
Even in front
of my bathroom sink,
late at night.
~Stacy
