You Clean up Good!

I wore hand-me-downs and homemade clothes most of my childhood – and there’s not a thing wrong with that. My older cousin had great taste and my mom was an excellent seamstress. But I remember well when I got to pick out a store-bought dress from Sears for Easter. It was pink organza with frilly lace and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever owned.

Recently I was part of a team of ladies who spoke at a women’s conference. It was a wonderful time and every woman who spoke or sang blessed me so much. A very fashionable friend from work made it her mission to dress me for the event and I had a grand time trying on pretty things to see what worked best. The outfit we settled on was stylish and comfortable.

I thought about that today when I read Zechariah 3. This was about sixteen years after the Hebrew people returned from Babylonian captivity. Zechariah saw a vision of Joshua the high priest standing before the Lord as satan poured out accusations against him. He had no defense for himself. He was “dressed in filthy clothes,” literally meaning rags soiled by excrement (v. 3). But the Lord commanded the angels to “Take off his filthy clothes,” and he told Joshua, “See I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you” (v. 4). He was dressed in the finest raiment reserved for the most special occasions like a wedding or royal invitation.

The prophet Isaiah said, “[The Lord] . . . has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness” (Is 61:10). Image it: Rags covered in human filth are stripped away and replaced by garments of salvation. He is given a robe of righteousness just like the father’s best robe that was given to his prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32). Just like the righteousness of Christ given in exchange for your sin and mine.

I’ve never been and will never be “fashionable” – I dress for comfort not style. But in heaven’s eyes, I am wearing garments that tell the angels that I am the daughter of the King. Maybe it’s time for you to let God dress you according to who you are. God’s beloved. Adorned in exquisite finery that even the best fashion houses on earth can’t create. Cut from the soft fabric of God’s grace and stitched together with threads of love. Oh my, don’t you look lovely?

What Do You Think . . .

Two verses struck me this morning as I was flipping through the Psalms. In Psalm 10, the psalmist talks about the “wicked man” saying, “in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (v. 4) Then in chapter 14, David pronounces a second truth about this man” “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ “ (v. 1). One seems to be a natural recourse of the other. If there is no room for God in your thoughts, you will conclude that there is no God. And you would be a fool. That is why our thoughts are so critical to our spiritual well-being.
On any given day, it seems a thousand thoughts run through my mind – work, school, family, church, ministry, chores, friends, plans – I am sure the same is true for you. There is no end to the things, people, and responsibilities that pull us this way and that. Our thoughts naturally run to these things. The question we must ask ourselves is, where, in all those thoughts, is God? Are we trying to “fit” Him in between thoughts about our kids and what to fix for supper? Do we give Him a passing consideration before the family meal or as we tumble into bed. “GodthankyouforthisfoodandallourblessingsAmen.” I can’t count the times I’ve fallen asleep trying to pray on my pillow. Does He cross our minds at all through the day? And if we actually do think about Him, what are we thinking? “I wish God would fix this problem.” “I hope God will straighten my kid out.” Our prayers tend to be “God, bless my sick Granny and make my boss give me a raise.”
It’s time for us to think – and think differently – about God. You and I must train our thoughts on Him.
That means we think about God as the One who is “high and exalted” (Is. 6:1), yet always with us (Jos. 1:9). We consider that He “thunders from heaven” (Ps. 18:13), yet also sings over us like a Father (Zeph. 3:17). We meditate on the fact that He “rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28), and yet “bends down to listen” to our prayers (Psalm 116:2 NLT). We must think about Him as more than our “fixer” and see Him as the high, holy, exalted God of heaven and earth who also created us, loves us, and cares about and for us. Beloved, what are you thinking about right now? Is there room in your thoughts for God?