The Benefits of a Good Soaking Hair Wash…by Debbie Christopher~~
Several months ago while washing my hair, I had a thought—What a way to start an inspirational blog about God’s Word!
I was letting the shampoo/conditioner soak in so it could dig deep and do it’s job to make my hair healthier and stronger. For some reason, it dawned on me that during our Bible reading/devotional time, we should do the same…give God’s word an opportunity to soak in and do it’s job to motivate us to be healthier and stronger followers of Christ.
I had this same thought today as I was washing my hair and decided it needed to be a blog topic. I couldn’t think of a verse that specifically said, “Let God’s word soak deeply into your life so you can be stronger and healthier as a committed follower of Christ…” I did think of Colossians 3:16 (see below) but was curious if there were others. I did a word search on soak in/soak up and loved what I discovered in Deuteronomy 31-32.
Moses was preparing his farewell address to the Nation of Israel as it was time to hand the leadership reins over to Joshua. His message, under God’s supervision and guidance, was an indictment of their unfaithfulness to Yahweh as they doubted His faithfulness and worshipped the idols of the neighboring nations. He delivered this address in chapter 32.
But, I would like for us to notice HOW he presented this scathing message to those he had lead for 40 years. He took a deep breath and lovingly and pleadingly warned them one last time.
Moses presented this message as a Call to Listen poetic song (The Expositors Bible Commentary) with the goal of reprimanding his dear followers in a loving, heartfelt manner. Moses admonished them to remember God’s faithfulness and return to Him, as the time had come to cross over to the Promised Land. Moses wanted the Children of Israel to soak up his words and allow these words to strengthen them as they began the next leg of their journey. Notice his heartfelt, pleading message in Deuteronomy 32:2.
“Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants.“
Deuteronomy 32:2 HCSB
Moses desired that his followers would soak up these words of warning like a tender plant soaks up the gentle Spring rains (Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary). What a beautiful word picture!
As committed followers of Christ, we should soak up the teachings and lessons of God’s Word just as a tender plant soaks up the gentle Spring rains. It is important that we take the time to allow God’s word to soak in so it can do it’s job---you know, take time to reflect on what we had just read in our Bible Study/devotional time before we close our Bibles and move on!
In other words…consider the words from Colossians 3:16…
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.“
Colossians 3:16 ESV
When we wash our hair, we don’t quickly wash and rinse in one quick motion. Let’s not read and close our Bible in one quick motion. Let’s allow God’s word soak deeply into our lives so we can be stronger and healthier committed followers of Christ…
Soaking up God's Word...
(Don't 'close and go')
~Debbie
References:
Barker, Kenneth L and Kohnlenberger, John R III, editors, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary- Old Testament, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
E.Ray Clendenen and Jeremy Royal Howard, editors, Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary, Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2015.
I've always loved the Colossians 3 verse, but the Dueteronomy one is a great one, too! Neat!