In the last entry, we suited up with the whole armor of God – belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet covered in the readiness of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Doesn’t sound like the perfect betrothal garment you typically see sporting down the aisle, right? If I had to visualize the look, olive-drab, army fatigues come to mind, not a soft chiffon or satin gown.
Well, consider those pieces WisdomWear, the spiritual undergarments, if you will. Before we chose to give our hearts to Christ, sin dressed us and if you remember life before a Savior, sin covered nothing. The Lover of our souls offered us a proposal of eternal life and a “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” (Isaiah 61:3).
With the accepted proposal, the fitting process replaces a sin-drenched, tattered frock for a garment of purity. For some of us, that process teeters on exhilaration and anxiety. Excited over the change in wardrobe; daunted by our past wardrobe malfunctions:
“How can you love a sinner like me?”
“I’m so prone to messing things up, Lord. Are You sure You want me?”
He reiterates His love, and though our groomsman lover must leave us for a season to make preparations, His Word comforts us in the waiting…
"...Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..." (Isaiah 1:18).
He understands our angst in the wait. That’s why I believe our betrothed appointed a Sanctified (fancy word for “set apart”) Seamstress, to shoulder the responsibility of fitting us for the perfect day until He returns. We know Him formally as the Holy Spirit and in the waiting…
"...the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26).
The Holy Spirit has a vested interest in our fitting as well and welcomes His role wholeheartedly. He gently reminds us when issuing instructions. He lovingly reprimands us when there is a need to dispense correction. He also tenderly offers comfort when we confess our shortcomings. He measures, tapers, cuts away, sizes and resizes the spiritual gusset in the ill-fitting areas of our lives until truth can be adorned from this…
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
Next step…Defining a few accessories
1 comment:
Beautiful!!!!!
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