Anointing has always sounded like a lovely word to me. In my mind’s eye, it involves standing with a smile on my face with arms raised to Heaven as I feel the comforting presence of God.

The word anointing is said to have stemmed from shepherd’s rituals, during the time of Christ. Because ticks and lice would take over a sheep’s coat and could work their way into their inner ear, often leading to death, shepherds would pour oil all over the sheep’s head. By making their coat slippery, the insects couldn’t work their way to the ears to harm the sheep.

Now that doesn’t sound as pleasant as I had previously imagined.

Being soaked by an oily substance probably felt uncomfortable and strange to those sheep – yet their shepherd knew what was best for them to live a full life.

We often say we want God’s anointing on our lives … but are we truly ready for what that entails?