What Are You Wearing Today?
by Malcolm Wood
I wonder how much care you took this morning in choosing the clothes you were to wear today. Whether you’re someone who takes a great deal of time and effort in making sure you’re dressed just right for the day ahead, or someone who just puts on the first garment that comes to hand, we all need to give careful consideration to our ‘spiritual wardrobe’.
The Scriptures tell us that God ‘has clothed us with the garments of salvation and arrayed us in a robe of righteousness’ (Isaiah 60:10). We don’t choose these garments. They’re given to us when we open our lives to Jesus and invite Him in. The garments of salvation include things like forgiveness, redemption, deliverance, healing, hope, protection and purpose. As we grow to understand, and take hold of, all that God’s made available in this way through the death of Jesus, we grow closer to Him, and enter more deeply into the relationship He wants us to enjoy with Him.
The robe of righteousness is provided for us by God, through the sacrifice of Jesus. It covers our unrighteousness. Once we’ve accepted Jesus, God looks at us, and He doesn’t see our sin. Instead He sees Jesus, who took the penalty for our sin. When Isaiah prophetically reflected on these things he was moved to write ‘I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God’ (Isaiah 61:10).
But there’s still a danger. We must take care to remain under the protection of the covering that God’s provided, or we can become vulnerable and exposed to the enemy. If we don’t, it provides an inroad for the enemy, who causes us dis-ease (lack of peace). This can affect us in any part, or all, of our being, body, soul and spirit. If we make decisions and do things outside of God’s will and purpose for us, and which are contrary to His Word, we’re stepping outside God’s covering, and we put ourselves in a precarious position.
Paul encourages the church at Rome with these words; ‘Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh’ (Romans 13:14). The responsibility is on us. We must choose to live a life which portrays Jesus. We can’t do this in our own strength, but we can do it through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul gives these instructions to the Church at Colossae: ‘Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’ (Colossians 3:12).
As we daily choose to put on all that God’s made available for us in our ‘spiritual wardrobe’ we’ll be able to face each day with renewed confidence and purpose.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Please forgive me for the times I’ve ignored the significance of all You made available for me at Calvary. Thank You for the clothing of salvation and the robe of righteousness. Please help me to remain under Your covering so I may give glory to You. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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