Pool Time: Interrupted

This past Easter weekend, aside from "church-going" activities, I had the amazing pleasure of having pool time with friends. Just me, the pool, a group of awesome friends, some music, some food, and outstanding weather. Such a blessing!

I was laying ever so peacefully on one of the recliner pool chairs, soaking up the sun and enjoying God's blessings outdoors, to which I noticed I needed to throw away a napkin I had used during lunch - keep in mind the trash can was maybe 5 feet from my chair. I got up, and just as I turn around, I get rushed by a friend and tossed into the freezing cold pool, without warning.

This was incredibly humorous for my friends and innocent by-standers who were also touched by the cannonball-like splash. I have to admit, I chuckled in the fun and games - BUT......I was freezing, drenched, not looking or feeling like myself - as just moments prior, I was warm and comfortable, lounging like a princess on a clean chair on the side of the pool.

Of course, this teasing and tossing me into the pool was not an isolated event, as it happened several more times before we all called it a day. Once I got home, I immediately hopped in the shower to become clean from all the chlorine; to get warm in the hot water; to use soap instead of being covered by leaves/bugs floating around in the pool; and to eventually wrap myself in warm pajamas and hop into my warm bed.

I thought about this for a while, and it occurred to me.......

How often do we try to wash ourselves clean with something else other than Christ?

At the pool, I was thrown into the pool several times by friends. Chlorine water can never substitute the crystal clean purified water coming from my faucet. The freezing chlorine water was all over me, along with leaves and bugs, and had left me a mess.

How often does the substitute we use as Christ to "clean" ourselves leave us a mess?

It does not ultimately comfort us. It leaves us with a cheap imitation, which can leave us looking nothing like ourselves - just like what had happened to me when I wound up in the pool. I had leaves and bugs stuck to me, just like sin tries to entangle us, even though I had already gotten out of the pool.

How often does our stumble, or our attempt to wash ourselves "clean" of a false Christ happen due to the great persuasion of friends?

In Truth, the people you know as "friends" who sway you to jump into anything else for comfort except Christ, are NOT your friends. But much like freezing cold pool water, once you jump in it enough, you will think it is comfortable. The freezing cold feeling becomes numb, and you become fine with it. It will seem no different to you than regular temperature water.

Stop jumping in the cold pool water. Stop letting your friends throw you or persuade you into the freezing chlorinated pool water, which can make you sick if you lived off of only chlorine water. You can only drink and bathe in chlorine water for so long until it kills you.

This may be "Too Much Information" - but one of my favorite things to do is to pray in the shower. I pray out loud, by myself, no one can hear me except myself and my King. Sometimes I even get on my knees, completely pure as God's creation, letting Him wash me clean in His grace and forgiveness. No one else may hear my cry, but in that exact depth of prayer, I know He does.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:6, NIV

I let the pure water from my shower head wash me clean of all the chlorine, the bugs, the leaves, the freezing cold feeling as the hot water poured over me. Afterwards,I looked and felt like myself again.

Isn't it like that when we let Christ wash over us? He washes us clean with Himself.

The issue is: I know the difference between chlorine water and pure water untainted by chlorine. Not everyone knows the difference. Do you? Do you know the difference of being washed by Christ? Or have you been wading in the chlorinated pool for so long you no longer know the difference? You may have become used to the cold chlorine water.

Our identity truly only comes from Christ. In order to know why we are here on this earth, in order to truly know who we are - we must know who we are IN HIM. We must let Jesus Christ wash us clean of ALL of our sins. Let His grace and forgiveness pour over you, clean you.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. - John 7:38, NIV

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. - Revelation 7:17, NIV

No sin is too great for Jesus to wash clean. He can wash you white as snow. Just ask Him. Don't go into the chlorine pool water anymore, even if you still think it is comfortable. Stop settling for less than the beautiful spring of living clean water that He can wash you with. He loves you, and His arms are open for you - jump in.

Your true friends will be the ones offering you His clean pure living water. You are my friend, share in the clean living water of Jesus Christ that has washed me clean. I am praying for you!

<><
Kay