Sample Page: 14 March Today’s Verse ‘But you were washed…’ 1 Corinthians 6 v 11 Key-word: ‘Washed.’ During my time as a Bible College student I was assigned a church in central London to gain some practical experience on how to be a pastor. The senior pastor, who still remains a good friend, was convinced nothing could shock him, but then, he had never worked with me before. A baptismal service was scheduled and it was going to be my first experience of baptising by immersion. In this denomination, going under the water symbolised death to the old life and coming up out of the water, resurrection to the new life as a follower of Jesus having been washed clean. When I asked the pastor what I should wear he told me I could wear what I liked. The big day came and the first shock I gave the pastor was to get changed into Bermuda shorts. The second which was even more outrageous, was I put on an old tee-shirt advertising a brand of beer and the clergy in this particular denomination had taken an oath of abstinence from alcohol. Of course I changed into more appropriate clothing and the service proceeded. The pastor, who I’m sure was determined to get his revenge, told me that I was to baptise the first person, he would do the second and so on. Now I didn’t know the first person, who happened to be an elderly lady. I became very nervous when I saw how old she was. Suppose I drop her or worse still drown her, she’d never forgive me. Things got worse, she sat down by the baptismal tank, pulled up her skirt and proceeded to remove her false leg. ‘I have to take this off love,’ she shouted over to me, ‘ I’m not allowed to get it wet.’ By now I was standing in the water petrified and not thinking what I was saying announced into the microphone, ‘Hop in!’ Fortunately everything went smoothly and I managed to totally submerge her and miraculously get her back onto her one leg. Today’s Point We all need washing. Having a bath or shower washes our skin clean but the Bible tells us that sin makes us unclean inside. Jesus died on the cross to take away all our wrongdoing and by confession, we can be washed clean inside. Today’s Prayer Lord today I ask that you wash me clean inside.

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