3-4 Minute Read Time

When my children were young, they didn’t like taking a bath. They loved playing in the water, but they did not enjoy that process of bathing. As they grew older, my wife and I had to over communicate our expectations. It often sounded like this.

“I need you to take a shower. Turn on the water, get in the shower, make sure every part of your body is wet, take the washcloth, get it wet, pick up the soap, USE the soap,” etc,. You get the picture.

It's one thing to stand under the running water in the shower or to soak in the tub, but it’s quite another thing to use the cleaning agent of soap. In similar fashion, it’s one thing to go to church and hear the Scripture read and taught, but it’s quite another thing to experience the cleansing and transformative work of Scripture ourselves. This is the power of SOAP.

SOAP is a simple four step process designed to help us Be with God as we go “Further Up and Further In” with Scripture.

SOAP works like this:

• Pick a passage and read prayerfully. Take notice of which scripture(s) catches your attention and mark it in your Bible. When you’re done, reread the verse(s) you marked. Write out the verse(s) at least one time. Slow down and copy the passage from the text, focusing on what you are writing.
  
  
• Focusing on that passage or verse, tune in and listen to what God is revealing through His Word. Take time to carefully observe the passage. What do you see in the verses you’re reading? Who is the intended audience? To whom is the writer speaking? What cultural factors are at play? Are any words or themes repeated? What stands out? Notice what God is revealing or teaching you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see what’s here.
  
  
• After carefully observing what is happening in the passage, determine the main message or truth of the passage. Think of how this verse(s) applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or correction for a particular area of your life. Use your journal to write how this scripture applies to your life today.
  
  
• Prayer. Pray God’s Word back to Him. If God has revealed something to you during this time, pray about it. Confess any sin God has revealed. Pray through the truth of the passage as you talk to God about what you’ve just read. Thank God for the truth of the Word; ask for greater insight or wisdom as to how to better apply this passage to your life. Most importantly, remember that prayer is all about relationship and is best understood as a two-way conversation, so speaking without listening is one sided. Make time to sit silently and wait upon the Lord listening for the still, small voice of God’s Spirit.

That’s it! The method of learning to use SOAP can be as simple or deep as you want it to be.

Why not try your hand at using SOAP and then, if you have questions, comments, or thoughts on this spiritual rhythm, shoot me an email and let me know how SOAP worked out for you. You can connect with me at .

 Thanks for reading and don’t forget . . . God loves you for who you are and not what you do.

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