A new expression has entered the Christian vocabulary to describe what happens in some churches. It is called 'soaking'. It refers to the practice of giving God time to soak us in His love. Sometimes it happens while people sit or stand. Often it occurs while people lie down under the sense of the overwhelming presence of God. Almost always it is found to be beneficial for spiritual growth and life. Melinda Fish refers to this in her editorial in the latest issue of "Spread the Fire" from Toronto.

"It was during my first visit to the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship that I was introduced to 'soaking'. The testimony of a woman I do not even know to this day called out to me from the platform. "A year ago," she said with her head shaking violently in a way that annoyed me, "my husband and I were chronic TV watchers. We didn't even want to go to church." I could identify. I was a pastor and a pastor's wife and I didn't want to go either.

"But in January, someone called out, 'Get down to the church! God's moving!' So we came down to the church and we've been back every night ever since then." By now tears were tracking her cheeks as she went on, "And tonight, I'm more in love with Jesus that I ever have been in all my life."

I remember my husband and I standing for ministry afterwards wanting what she had and gradually becoming more obvious as person after person dropping to the floor. The power of the unseen force seemed to be sucking despair from them and many of them were writhing in the throes of what seemed to be periods of pain interspersed with ecstatic joy. As the waves of power subsided, looks of serenity crept across their faces. Why aren't the getting back up? I wondered.

For years I had seen many people fall in meetings and had never put much value on it. Those who fell usually popped back up as though the people felt obligated to fall in the presence of a well-known evangelist. It had an almost perfunctory quality to it. But this was different. 

Then it was our turn. When Ron Dick, a normal guy on the prayer team, reached out two fingers and gently touched my forehead, he prayed, "Come, Holy Spirit." And He came. Suddenly I felt myself acted upon by the same unseen force. As I fell, Jesus seemed to be bending over me laughing about the fact that finally He had me where He wanted me.

The humour of the moment faded into a sense of the love of God that washed over me. it was the first of thousands of washings of His love in the past seven years. I was being fully 'known'. Eternity was touching me, and I didn't want the moment to end. Now I knew why people weren't getting up quickly.

We began to make time for 'soaking' in every service back home. If someone were to ask me today, "How do you sustain revival?" I'd answer, "Keep soaking in the love of Jesus." Soaking in His presence is an invitation for the Holy Spirit to keep coming, and it keeps our attention off ourselves and on Jesus, the true centre of revival. It is the fuel for service. If you soak, you will tell."

Over the past two days we have seen something of what it means to 'soak' in God's presence and His love. Personally, I have discovered layers of hardness in my own heart that need to be softened by soaking. I believe that our loving Heavenly Father is bringing us into a whole new level of relationship with Himself. Don't miss out!