Can’t be bothered!
A few years back I shared in a lovely evening with some of my friends. We met for a ladies prayer and bible study, using a method of study I’ve only become acquainted with recently, Lectio Divina. This method involves reading or hearing a passage of scripture several times, then meditating on the passage, or “soaking” as I heard it called. But I don’t want to talk about the passage, or the methods of soaking (although I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the art corner drawing my representation of the text).
After the bible study we retired to the garden, to a cosy fire pit and an ambiently lit gazebo. If you heard uproarious laughter that evening then my apologies, that was us. But I don’t want to talk about the fellowship and craic that was had.
I want to talk just briefly on what happened when I got home. I sat down beside my husband and began to tell him what a lovely night I’d had, when he wrinkled his nose and said wow you need a shower! Now I wasn’t proper stinky, but sitting so close to a wood fuelled fire had left me smelling very strongly of smoke.
Only problem is, it was close to midnight. I didn’t want a shower at midnight. I wanted to be cosily tucked up in bed. However I too could smell the strong smell of woodsmoke and decided that the shower was unavoidable. And guess what?
It. Was. Lovely. Warm and cleansing, my three minute shower to get rid of the smell turned into a twenty minute long enjoyment of the soothing hot water washing more than my body but soothing a tired wee soul. Sometimes my faith journey can be a bit like that. I don’t have the energy to get myself along to prayer meetings, bible studies and whatnot, when more often than not I find myself so glad that I made the effort despite the lack of energy, or dare I say enthusiasm.
It amazed me how such a simple thing as a shower could make me feel so much better when I really couldn’t be bothered in the first place. Yet so often in my life I’m even more amazed when I find myself really benefitting from fellowship and scripture at times when I really can’t be bothered.
So next time, on a Sunday morning when you maybe fancy a lie in, or a weekday evening when you think “oh I’ll just relax”, just remember that you could be missing out on a shower for your soul, cleansing, refreshing you and washing away the sins that cling to us like the pungent smell of woodsmoke.
