Washing with SOAP

Every day I get dirty and every day I need to wash. Good thing, eh?

I use DOVE soap because, well that's what I use. It's not because it's got a "dove" on it and that represents the Holy Spirit or anything weird like that; it's just that brand of soap is what we bought the last time we bought soap.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I use soap to get myself clean which is a necessary and good thing. So when I came across this acronym it intrigued me. The acronym is S.O.A.P. and it stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.

Basically, you read God's Word and then write in a journal one or more verses that you focused on in your reading - that spoke to you. You then write those verses in your journal. After that you write down why those verses interested you and what you "observed" about the verse that made it stand out. Next you write down how that verse Applies to you and your life and then finally, you write down a prayer that prays that into your day.

What's interesting to me is the actual acronym. Because I use soap to clean my body I don't offend anyone - at least with body odour anyway. I feel clean and refreshed each day. I can freely enter my day with the knowledge that, at least in part, I am ready for the day. If I apply this line of thinking to my daily Bible reading then when I use "SOAP" in my devotional time, I am cleansing myself of all the "stuff" that stuck to me over the course of my day. By reading my Bible and allowing what I read to penetrate my being, I am cleaning myself (actually, I'm allowing the Holy Spirit to clean me).

What I read this morning was:

You love what is right and hate what is wrong.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,
pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.

It is Hebrews 1:9 and what I took from it was that I need to be like Christ and love what is right and hate what is wrong.

Time to "clean" up my act!