The people of God are in a season of deep purification. Purification is painful, yet so very rewarding for those who stay in the process until it is complete. In the Torah cycle we are reading the verses of the children of Israel crossing through the Red Sea - the great mikveh or baptism they experienced, moving through walls of water toward the great promises of a new life. They were terrified by this wondrous display of God's Power, but He spoke to them through Moses and said, "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you..."
I know I've been moving through my own "walls of water." At a breaking point I was led to go to a retreat center where I could hide myself away with the Lord for two days of confession, repentance, forgiving others, and healing. I spent hours loosing old stronghold thinking and bad attitudes, and binding my thoughts to Messiah's thoughts, my will to His. At the end of the process, I felt the Spirit was instructing me to get into the shower for a mikveh, where He would cleanse and restore me, So, I was obedient, and I felt light and unburdened when I stepped out! However, the lessons about water purification are still ongoing.
On Friday afternoon we had a leak from our refrigerator line that runs along a storage area in our basement. Before we caught the leak it had absolutely drenched about 20 of my old photograph albums and scrapbooks. Pictures of my own childhood, my children's young years, and even my parents' lives and marriage were soaked! My heart was devastated as I gently carried each album up to the back porch, where Abba was providing sunshine, warmer temperatures and a soft breeze. I laid each one out on the porch railings, hoping that they would dry out and some precious memories would be preserved. Interestingly, the only album that seemed to be soaked beyond saving was the one of my childhood - mostly black and white pictures from about age 5 to 16. John told me to get a roll of paper towels, and we carefully placed a white towel over each page, hoping to soak up moisture. Then we carried the soggy book into the house and set it over the forced-air heat register to spend the night there.
I began reflecting over this process. Were there childhood wounds that needed bandaging? Was the Lord purifying all those pieces of my life with water, and then blowing His "Forced Air" Breath (Ruach) into my life to restore me?
I went to bed last night and had a strange dream, but now, as the sun is rising, the meaning is taking clear shape. There was a great body of water and people were everywhere in the water. Most were treading water, desperately trying to stay afloat; some were sinking. A few were on something that looked like the old unicycles, peddling in the water! I watched as what looked like a very large hand reached in and helped some to the top when they were no longer able to tread. I also saw that some became disgusted and angry and drifted to the bottom. But most of the people stayed in the process, kept treading, kept believing...
When I was fully awake from the dream, I heard this in my spirit:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters I will be with you,
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
Isaiah 43:2
Be encouraged, my friends. We are entering soon into that time before the Passover, when we are greatly tested. Stand firm, and see the deliverance the LORD will bring you! Submit to the purification process He has set you in, and believe that His Right Hand will be with you, and His Spirit breathed upon you to bring you though it. In the process, old wounds will be healed, old thought patterns demolished, and your heart will be restored.
