September 13 Garment of Praise

Luke 5:36-39 He told them this parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
 
A memory of my childhood relates to my mother patching my jeans. Growing up on a farm was hard on denim. Doing chores, playing in the dirt, and catching the cloth on a barbed wire fence caused a constant need for my mom to patch jeans for my brother and me. She would take from other worn out jeans to fix the torn clothes. It was good to extend the use of the jeans, but at this point, we knew it was only a matter of time the jeans would be too worn to wear.  
    This parable (an earthly story with a heavenly meaning) is Jesus’ emphasis that he has come to make all things new. The Old Testament of the law is complete as Jesus came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). The law has served its purpose. Patching the law with new laws into God’s perfect law would be ineffective regarding God’s eternal plan of salvation.
    Jesus is beginning the New Testament. His blood became the wine of the new promise of grace. His sacrifice on the cross became a garment of praise. Hear this “new garment” promise in Isaiah 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 
    Rejoice in Jesus’ new garment for you. Who wants to wear the old when we can live under Jesus’ eternal new clothes? Revelation 21:5 “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for your garment of praise over my soul. I rejoice in the new life you have given to me. I pray I always remember and live in your love. In you name I pray, amen.