Washing Your Soul

Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to Joni and Friends. 

Recently a friend of mine had to stay in a hospital for two weeks. When I asked him what the most difficult part was about his long hospitalization, I thought sure he’d talk about the painful recuperation from his surgery. I mean, we’ve all been there, right? Instead, he shook his head and he grimaced, “Bed baths! I hated having those nurses give me bed baths. I wish I could have done it myself.” 

I thought that was so funny, but I bet you can empathize, right? ’Cause I sure can. Without being specific, you’ve got to know that, well, as a quadriplegic like me, I need personal help. I can’t exactly walk into a shower or step into a tub. I need a lot of help when it comes to bathing. And it’s always, well, it’s always difficult; there’s zero chance to be private. All modesty goes out the window. But you can understand. I mean, put yourself in my situation. All of us feel a deep aversion to being bathed by someone else. We don’t want to be exposed; we feel a strong distaste, especially if we’re forced to be that transparent, just like my friend felt when he was in the hospital. Personal cleansing is a routine we would really rather do ourselves, thank you very much. To have another approach you with a soap and a washcloth – well, it’s embarrassing. 

Those are feelings I have struggled with over the years, and I will tell you what has helped me. Just listen to what David the psalmist prayed in Psalm 51:7. He wrote: “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” At any other time, David may have felt a strong distaste about being bathed by someone else. But there came a time in his life when he felt so soiled, so stained, so smeared with sin, so thoroughly dirtied by rebellion and iniquity that he just had to cry out to God, “Cleanse me! O God, wash me!” He knew he needed a good soul scrubbing. He also knew that that sort of cleansing was something he could never do for himself. So as far as he was concerned, “forget that thing about modesty and privacy.” Right then and there, he did not care if he was exposed; instead, he humbled himself and gave to the Lord all his embarrassing sins. 

Learning that about David really, really helped me humble myself before others who had to approach me with soap and a washcloth. But it helped me spiritually, too. It forces me to be humble before the Lord when it comes to my own sin. First Corinthians 6:11 reminds you and me that, “You were washed,” it says. But our souls need a good scrubbing every day. We were washed at the cross, yeah, but every day I need a scrubbing. Our characters need a good scouring. So join me in presenting to God today all the areas of your life and mine that need to be made right. Join me in humbling yourself before him and getting pure before the Lord. You will be amazed at how quickly you’ll grow. Plus, oh, the joy of feeling clean before the Lord. 

And look, I know you need help with confessing your sins before the Lord; all of us need help in humbling ourselves before him and telling him that we want to be rid of old habits, things we try to shield from his Spirit – unseen, hidden faults. And I’d like to help you with that. Visit me today at joniradio.org to let me know how we at Joni and Friends can pray for you. We’ve got a prayer team that meets every morning, and we’d love to take your needs before the throne.  

Finally, I want to thank this station for granting me these precious minutes in which I can share hope through your hardship every day. And I do pray you found my words hopeful today. 

© Joni and Friends