God's Clothes

Isaiah 61:10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
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Luke 24:49 “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
 
WHAT do you wear to worship? It used to be the phrase “Sunday best” in America meant you were wearing your best clothes. We’ve seen that across the world, too, as people dress with their best clothes to attend church.
   But “Sunday best” in the U.S. has become “Sunday casual”. Perhaps that is one symptom that the church in the U.S. generally seems to be more casual about Jesus. True, our outer dress is of no consequence to our salvation and fruitful living. After all, it’s about being clothed in power from on high, isn’t it? But would it be more appropriate for our clothes to reflect the garments God bestows upon our hearts?
   The Holy Spirit has taken Jesus’ blood to wash you clean. Saved in Jesus, you are as a lavishly dressed bridegroom. God’s holiness marks you as he is. The Spirit jewels of knowledge brighten your countenance. You become as a bride in the view of a husband’s loving, devoted eyes.
   The apostles certainly knew this. When the Spirit dressed them in God’s power, they quickly showed the world their new clothes. With salvation on their lips and healing in their hands, the apostles began to dress the world with Jesus’ life-giving blood. The gospel’s garments of praise and robes of righteousness continue to fashion the world into God’s design.
   Dear Christian, do you know what you are wearing? Are you aware God has so lavishly dressed you? What would happen if “Sunday best” became your heart’s “Daily Best”? How would your life change if you joyfully wore God’s gracious love and righteousness each day? Would people see your garments of praise in the way you live? Would they know God covers you with his power? Would you know it?
   And maybe you could wear some really nice clothes to church periodically, so you would demonstrate the Lord has clothed your heart.
 
Prayer: LORD God, I thank you for the new clothes of my salvation. Keep my heart and mind diligent to dress in you each day, so the world will see your garment of praise covers my life. May I always be particular about the way I dress my heart for you. Amen.