Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy. Psalm 132:9 (ESV)
Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. Psalm 132:16 (ESV)
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28
The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you." Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. Zechariah 3:4-5
This is a humbling thing this being clothed. My clothing is filthy and has to be removed. The righteousness and salvation of the Lord Jesus has to be put on me like clothing. They come from the outside of me, from God, not from within me. It's all grace. Being an exhausted caregiver has clearly shown this to me. It's amazing how fast a person can go from walking on water to sitting around a campfire talking trash about the one who loves you most. From blazing revelation and faith, to falling asleep and abandoning the beloved one in the agony of death.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. Romans 7:18 (ESV)
No there is nothing good in me. I can't do it on my own. I can't even have compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience1 in my own strength, rather I have to put them on as part of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.It is always and only Jesus loving and being kind and patient in me and through me. I don't have "the ability to carry it out."
I have written about putting on Jesus before, but it's one thing to get the revelation and understanding and write about it, and another to live it out. To take the test and fail. That makes it real. That makes it sink down deep and, I hope, effects change.
Lord, take off my filthy clothes of self-righteousness, of trusting in self, of forgetting to cry out to you for your strength and love and help. Only you can do it. Thank you for your patience and love and amazing grace towards me!
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10 (ESV)
The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Genesis 3:21
1 Colossians 3:12
Image, Struggling with her jacket, by Jinterwas https://flic.kr/p/bEJUEW
No comments:
Post a Comment