Wild Savior

Following Christ is a constant learning experience. It never fails to astound me how little I know the deeper in relationship I get with Him! Over and over again He has taught me stagnancy is just not healthy. He desires movement. Growth. Travel. He wants my today to play out a little differently than my yesterday.

I was in the shower a few weeks ago talking with Him about random things (most likely the wonder of Starbucks) when I got into my crazy head the shampoo in my hand looked like what I imagine the Israelites would’ve used as anointing oil.

Stick with me. I know things just got strange but hear me out.

Staring at the thick, beautiful, volume-taming dollop of oil-like shampoo, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to anoint my head with oil.

Clearly I am the Lucille Ball of the Christian faith.

I had a moment of prayer, threw my hand to my forehead and…

Anointed my eyes.

I missed my forehead completely. Not on purpose, it was just that the “anointing oil” was so thick it slid off my hand due to its heaviness before I had reached my head.

With burning eyes I couldn’t help but crack up laughing.

Isn’t that just the way of our wild Savior? He shakes things up.

I think, “I’ll go to school, get a job, get married and perhaps bake a sale item for the church fundraiser when I grow up.”

He says, “That’s not where your anointing is.”

I think, “Okay, I will go into advertising and shine my light on the subways in Manhattan.”

He says, “That’s not where your anointing is.”

I think, “Alright, let me see…I will consult business owners on how to run their shops more effectively.”

He says, “That’s not where your anointing is.”

I think, “We’re running out of options here, Lord.”

He says, “We haven’t even started yet.”

I believe we often think we know better than Him. Don’t we? I know I do. The deepest struggle I have walking with Christ is the letting go of my independence and the walking in dependence.


Each day is a lying down of what I think my life should look like or how I feel my talents would better be spent. It is the thing that I most struggle with and yet it is the thing that most keeps me looking ahead.


As that shampoo hit my eyes and my laughter filled the bathroom I thought, “Nicely put, Lord. I’m trying to anoint my own head here and you won’t have it.”


“I am your Anointer.”

“Lord,” I whispered, “do you think you could…”

“I already have.”

“You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.”

Psalm 23:5

Kristen is the daily author of {dancing} in the margins, her personal blog. She welcomes you to stop by!