Have You Showered?

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13–14 NIV)

Last night I climbed into bed exhausted—not physically so much as spiritually. My husband and I had a few conversations that didn’t go as planned. Parenting a tween comes with its fair share of emotional demands. Chasing after my energetic six-year-old with special needs is never dull. I was just weary. As I tossed and turned, worn-out but unable to sleep, I realized something: I hadn’t spent any time with the Lord that day…or the day before that…or the day before that.

I have a question for you: Have you showered today? I realize the answer is not a guaranteed yes. I definitely have days when time gets away from me, or kid demands trump my self-care, or plain old laziness prevents me from hopping in the shower. But I can’t remember the last time I went two or three days without bathing. At some point, basic hygiene is a necessity.

How much more important is it for our spirits to be cleansed? Repenting of our sins, growing in the Lord, basking in his love, laying our burdens at his feet—these are the warm water and soap to rinse away the grime we pick up daily. Praying and reading the Bible keeps us healthy and clean before God. If I miss a day with him, I notice it, but it might not interfere with my plans much. A few days later, though, the debris of life has built up. Suddenly I’m weighed down and, well, a little stinky (spiritually speaking, of course). The build-up of a fallen world is too much without regular contact with the Living Water.

Have you ever come to the end of a long day and thought, I just need to take a long, hot bath? The water doesn’t change anything that happened, yet as you lie there soaking, troubles seem to melt away. In the same way, time spent with the Lord doesn’t necessarily change our circumstances. Reading my Bible first thing in the morning doesn’t guarantee that my husband and I won’t fight. Praying throughout my day doesn’t ward off a sassy attitude in my daughter. But it does change my perspective. Regularly spending time with Jesus—taking my daily spiritual shower—gives me peace and the ability to handle life with grace I might not otherwise have.

So have you showered today? Not with water from the tap, but with living water that comes from God alone? Let him wash away your sins, your burdens, and the dirt of this world so you can be clean and ready to face a new day.

Katy Epling is a writer, speaker, and “masterpiece in progress” (Ephesians 2:10) from Akron, Ohio. She and her husband Jon have three beautiful children who provide her with multitudes of material—both dramatic and comedic. Learn more about her heart and ministry at katyepling.com.

Photograph © Yoann Boyer, used with permission