Saturday Night

Old movies made jokes about washing up only on Saturday nights. We just spent a month in Florida visiting our family. It is hot in Puerto Rico, but we have breezes throughout the day. In Florida, we had none. It was just hot, sticky, and humid everywhere. Somehow, the topic of water caught up with us one day. Our eldest daughter began a discussion about bathroom renovations.
She figured a bathtub is no longer needed in her house. A walk- in shower stall will do. We sometimes use the words shower and bath interchangeably. When someone says, “I’m going to take bath,” it doesn’t always mean a literal bath in a tub. It can mean to shower or to wash up. The same thing happens in Spanish. “Me voy a bañar” (I am going to bathe) can refer to bathing as well as showering (duchar), although it literally means to bathe.
So, when our daughter said, “If I bathed all the time, then I’d keep the tub, like the neighbors. They love to bathe. However, they only bathe once every 3-4 months.” My 86 yr. old mom laughed hysterically! She couldn’t believe it! How can someone who loves to bathe rarely do so?! I quickly explained that our daughter meant bathing in the tub; but they do shower every day! We all thought, “Imagine the smell!!!” That was a great laugh! Mom turned red as she held her hand over her mouth unable to stop laughing for a while!
Whether we shower or soak in a tub, we need washing, for sure! But, how do we wash away sin? King David in Scripture wrote: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).
Fact is, nothing we do can remove sin; only Jesus can.
1John 1:7 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Thank God for His washing! He has washed us clean by laying His life on the cross for our sins. He died in our place. When we accept His sacrifice, we’re made clean, however, if we don’t accept it, see what scripture says: “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.”
God is ready to wash you clean regardless of how clean you think you are, or how dirty you feel. Doesn’t matter how you live(d) and what things you have done. He washes you, sanctifies you, and justifies you before God, the Father! He then shows you…
“Some of you were once like that. But you were washed; you were sanctified; you were justified in the name of the Lord God Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God” (1Corinthians 6:9-11).
Thank Jesus for washing us, and also for the gift of laughter!! We desperately need it. By the way, it need not be Saturday for dipping your toe in the waters! God Bless!
Sam