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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

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!

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13 Comments:

Blogger Denise said...

This was very nice, bless you.

November 25, 2008 at 12:13 AM  
Blogger Sarah Vertner said...

I love your humor, and I love God's humor too... he's a funny God! And what a great way to remind us that we can't do it for ourselves... I hope the shampoo didn't burn your eyes too much! :-)

November 25, 2008 at 12:28 AM  
Blogger Amico Dio said...

I am still laughing... and learning.

God is steadily teaching me this very thing but I must say that I absolutely rather your version of the lesson. :)

You have such a gift with words. I'm always struck by your ability to take the every day and make a lesson out of it. You're awesome, girl!

btw, I don't think that I will ever look at shampoo the same way again!

November 25, 2008 at 12:41 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks for giving me a giggle to start the day with! I love your "Wild" sense of humor and how God is so good to us--using some crazy things to teach us! Have a blessed day!

November 25, 2008 at 6:34 AM  
Blogger Sheila said...

I'm glad you posted this here! I needed the reminder this morning, that HE not ME annoints my head with oil... and with a gigle too! :)

November 25, 2008 at 7:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm going through exactly this thing with God - what I want versus what He wants. Sometimes its hard to lay aside my own stubbornness, but always worth it in the end!

November 25, 2008 at 9:02 AM  
Blogger Pat Thacker said...

Wonderful,I did enjoy your post.God does have a wild sense of humor! and I do enjoy it so much.

November 25, 2008 at 12:40 PM  
Blogger LauraLee Shaw said...

Amazing as usual, Kristen. Love these "shake-up" conversations with God. He is always ready for a good conversation, even over anointed shampoo!

November 25, 2008 at 1:35 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Hey, God & I talk when I'm in the shower too! (And we probably talk about the wonders of Starbucks as well.)

November 25, 2008 at 8:45 PM  
Blogger Betsy Markman said...

Love it! You had the humility to see the lesson God was teaching you and to receive it with joy. Good for you!

Thanks for sharing this with us.

November 25, 2008 at 10:56 PM  
Blogger Laurie Ann said...

This was a delightful devotion! I love the shampoo lesson - you tied it in perfectly with how when we try to do something on our own and find out that's not where our anointing is that it simply doesn't work. Praying does...of course I'm still learning not to run ahead of Him!

November 26, 2008 at 7:27 AM  
Blogger Amydeanne said...

overflow indeed! Great post!

November 26, 2008 at 8:33 AM  
Blogger KelliGirl said...

This was wonderfully written, filled with humor and heart—and more than a dollop of Godly wisdom.

November 26, 2008 at 10:41 AM  

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