Your Spiritual Bar of Soap
Have you ever heard of a spiritual bar of soap?
I hadn’t heard of one until I took a Bible class years ago. Our teacher was a godly, mature woman named Irene. Many of the people in this class were new Christians who were trying to learn what it meant to walk with God.
Irene had been widowed many years ago. She and her new preacher husband were in an auto accident. As a result of that accident, Irene lost her dear husband and also her hand. She wears a prosthesis but it doesn’t seem to hold her back. She continues to love the Lord and to serve Him by faithfully by teaching others.
Irene explained to our class that we had a choice to make.
Yes, we were saved through the blood of Jesus and our sins were forgiven …past, present and future. But we still had to live in our fleshly bodies on this side of eternity. So, we would be tempted by our flesh to sin. I remember her so clearly looking into my eyes. At least, I thought she was looking directly at me!
Irene would tell us how much God loves us and that He wants what’s best for us. When she said this, I used to think of Monica, the angel in the TV show Touched by an Angel, when she would tell her assignment who she was and give them a message from God.
Irene told us that we still have a free will to choose. We could follow the Holy Spirit’s leading or …we could choose to satisfy our flesh. That would mean not submitting to what God would have us do and instead doing what we want to do. And do you know what? It’s called SIN!
But do you know what Irene would do next? She would look at us and tell us that we had a spiritual bar of soap. She read 1 John 1:9:
What a blessing that was! And do you know what? Even though I may have grown in my Christian walk since the time of Irene’s class, I still remember so well about my spiritual bar of soap. When I am convicted of my sin, I immediately (or later) say 1 John 1:9. And the intimacy with the Lord is restored and once again I’m at peace.
I’m just thrilled that I had the experience of a teacher like Irene. How about you? Was there someone in your life who taught you how to walk with God? To this day, Irene continues to teach this class in my church. Only the Lord knows the number of people she has discipled and blessed and …I am one of them.
Thank you Lord and thank you Irene for your faithfulness to His calling.
Blessings,
Debbie Petras
Such a wonderful devotion, bless you sweetie.
Thanks for those great thoughts.
I was/am blessed to have had many great teachers/leaders/examples in my Christian life. Starting with my Mother, a great Christian woman devoted to Christ for all of my life and before that even. A woman who studies her Bible and prays every day and tries to live for Christ.
I also had many wonderful Sunday School teachers in my growing up years in a small Baptist church. Those ladies loved me and prayed for me, I know, and they were precious to me in my early adult life. I thanked them often for their work of service and faithfulness to Christ, they also were great examples of Christian women.
In my adult life I have had a few good women Bible study teachers and have one right now as a matter of fact. I am blessed to be able to attend this morning Bible study because a number of ladies volunteered to pick my up and bring me home. We did a schedule and had no trouble getting it all filled up. My husband works during the day and we only have one car so the only way I could participate was if I got rides. Sometimes the ride to and from is a good as class. I am getting to know some ladies in the church that I have not know very well before. It is a blessing.
Thanks for the reminder to keep my sin account short and the metaphor about the bar of soap will stay with me, each time I wash my hands I will try and think of this story and keep confessing my sins.
Amen Debbie. So many times after asking for forgiveness I repeat that verse out loud, so my ears can hear it and my heart receives it. Love the cartoon.
Beautiful!
I am so thankful for the teachers that have molded me and it is my hope that now I can teach others. Thanks for sharing today.
Hi Debbie, I enjoyed your article. What a blessing to have had such a teacher in your earliest days with Jesus.
In my teens, my pastor’s wife was my teacher at church. I don’t recall a specific thing she taught, but I ‘caught’ the graceful way she loved and cared for each one of us. I also remember how well prepared she was for us — that tiny handful of teens in our small church. It showed us we mattered.
That’s so true, Debbie… It’s always hard to follow God’s commandments and it’s easier to give in to worldly desires…
I’m so grateful that God somehow blessed me with great friends who kept me grounded all the time:))
The Lord has so graciously filled my life with “Irene’s” – Godly women who mentored me. They are a precious gift.
What a blessing to who knows how many women Irene has been (and continues-WOW!). May we all learn of Irene and be Titus 2 women.
What a blessing to have this Godly principle taught you in such a way that it sticks today so you can share it with us. I know what I’m going to draw next to 1 John 1:9 as soon as I’m done here!
Thanks so much for sharing this, Debbie.
Debbie,
This is such a wonderful post filled with Biblical truth. Oh, that we all could have an Irene and be an Irene. I enjoyed this very much. Thank you.
So wonderful