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Holy Spirit Spa
Now, if that’s what an ordinary day spa can do for the
body, think what a Holy Spirit spa could do for the
soul. If spending time in an ordinary spa with massage
and aromatherapy gives us a new lease on life, what
would spending time with the Holy Spirit of God, the
Lord and Lover of your soul, do for us? What bliss.
God loves you and me just as we are right now, not for
who we could be with a change here and an improvement
there. Bringing our thoughts and awareness to God is
like stepping out of the pressures of the day and into
that refreshing world of health and wellness. God’s
Spirit renews us. And since that's so, why don't we
spend time in God’s Holy Spirit spa more often? Why does
it seem that so many of us have to struggle with our
daily schedules to make time for God?
Maybe taking time to be with God could be compared to my
experience with the day spas I passed by. I believe with
all my heart that God is always present with us, but I
don't always give that presence much thought. As I get
busy in my day, I get wrapped up in my checklists and
deadlines. I know, for the sake of my spiritual health,
I should stop at the beginning of my day to spend time
with God. But often I just drive on by without giving
God a second thought.
Spending time with God requires a conscious
decision to make it a priority. One reason I ignored the
day spas is because I thought I couldn’t afford them.
But the truth was that I was spending my money
elsewhere, on other priorities. When other activities
are more important to us than spending time with God,
that’s like saying, “I don’t have time for you today.”
We must decide what we can set aside to make room in our
schedules for soaking in the presence of God.
I
also didn’t visit the day spas because I didn’t think I
was the kind of person who visits spas. But when my
friend offered me the chance to finally experience one,
I loved it. How much do our preconceived notions of
ourselves, or prayer, or meditation keep us from stepping
into the sacred space of God’s presence? Do we hear
ourselves saying, “I’m not much of a pray-er” or “I’m
really not the silent meditation type”?
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study
page for ideas for discussion and further
reflection.
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After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented
herself before the LORD.
Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of
the temple of the LORD.
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD,
and wept bitterly. She made this vow: “O LORD
of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and
remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your
servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a Nazirite
until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor
intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued
praying before the LORD,
Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips
moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was
drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken
spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered,
“No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither
wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before
the LORD. Do not
regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking
out of my great anxiety and vexation all
this time.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you
have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in
your sight.” Then the woman went to her quarters, ate
and drank with
her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
1 Samuel 1:9-18
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