Gaunt and bare, like
skeletons stripped of their flesh, they stand. High on the top shelf in the
bathroom, squeezed almost dry, the tubes of lotion call to me. Each stands
nearly empty: the lotion within, too precious to throw away. Yet, in my rush to
lather on the lotion and hurry out the door, I don’t take time to squeeze out
the last of it. So I use a new tube, and remind myself that I must later take
time to squeeze the lotion from each of the nearly empty tubes. Maybe over the
weekend I can find some extra time to use the lotion left in these tubes. But I
get busy, I forget, and they stand as reminders of what I need to do. Today is
Saturday, and the day is young. This morning I will find time to use the
leftover lotion, and then I can, in good conscience, throw the empty tube in
the trash. I need to do this so I can clear some space on the top shelf.
Hmm, now that I think about it, doesn’t my soul need a
little squeezing too? Perhaps I need to devote more time to my soul, squeezing
out all of God’s wisdom and blessings, daily covering myself with the lotion of
God’s love. Then I can throw out the empty, lifeless areas of my life that are
not pleasing to God and clear more space for Him on my top shelf.
Father God, help me to place
you always on the top shelf of my life so that my spiritual life will not be
bare bones, but instead be vibrantly alive.
Psalm 26:6 “Test me O Lord,
and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and
I walk continually in your truth.”
