Soaks and Sips
The peace lily in the Main Office seems to enjoy its environment of fluorescent light and steady temperature. There is one more thing that is vitally important to its health and that is water!
Over Christmas break 2017 when we were closed for several days in a row, there was no one around to water my plant. I entered my office in early January to find a very droopy, most unhappy peace lily that was more brown than green. “Parched” would be a good word to describe it. That afternoon, I stopped by the floral department at Publix to pick up a new one.
I had been soaking plant #1 once or twice a week until it had quite a puddle in its draining dish, but there were times when it still didn’t look healthy. With the purchase of the replacement, I changed my approach and gave it a sip of water right around the base of the stalks every day—with the exception of the weekend. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Plant #2 is now happy and hearty with thick stems, bright shiny leaves, and over time, it has produced a number of lovely white blooms.
This experience reminded me of the concept of hearing God’s word only on Sunday morning. It’s not enough! We need those daily sips of Truth, or we can completely dry out.
My daily devotion books encourage me to focus on a small passage of scripture in hopes of absorbing the concept shared that day. Additional sips come from Christian radio: hearing snippets of Truth in the lyrics of songs or listening as the radio personalities read a passage or share verses through prayer also give me a spiritual boost.
Of course, there’s nothing quite like getting a good, thorough “soak” on Sunday morning through corporate worship. We sing, pray, and listen together as Bible passages are shared often throughout the service. Then, we get to hear a lesson straight from God’s word.
Truly … it’s not one or the other: it’s BOTH soaks and sips! May we all take the necessary steps to stay spiritually hydrated all week!!
John 4:14 (ESV)
But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Isaiah 58:11 (ESV)
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.