The perfect shirt that makes you feel pretty. Those jeans that make you feel skinny. That whole outfit that makes you think you can take on the world and win every time. It is interesting how clothing makes you feel. Sweats make you feel safe and comfy, while the right blouse and pants can make you feel powerful and unstoppable. But regardless of what you wear on the outside, you are the same you on the inside. Strange isn’t it? I got a few new super cute tops for Mother’s Day. I put one on and it made me feel amazing, beautiful, smart and noticed. I did get a lot of compliments that day in the office. However, that same day my daily devotion was on Gal. 3:27 which says, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Some translations say clothed yourself with Christ. What a thought – I am clothed with Christ. This verse is talking about once you are saved you remove the old you (your sinful nature) and put on Christ. You become more like Christ. Ok, that is pretty easy to understand. The words clothed with Christ (which is what my devotional said) stuck with me all day.
I am clothed with Christ. What that verse literally says is that you are sinking into Christ. Think back to those comfy sweats or yoga pants you just feel so at peace in – so comfortable in. You know those pants you can’t wait to put on when you get home from work. We all have a pair of pants like that. For you maybe it’s jeans or yoga pants. For me it’s a pair of – I guess you could call them yoga pants – I don’t honestly know what to call them. But they are black with pinkish flowers and are made of the softest cotton in the world. I want to live the rest of my life in these pants. Now that you are thinking how good your (whatever type of) pants feel, think of this: do you ever feel that way about Christ? Do you ever long to just sink into Jesus? If not, maybe you should change up your time with Jesus. However you do devotional life with God, it should feel like those pants you can’t wait to put on. It should be the time of day you long for, can’t wait for, and want to last longer.
But that isn’t all the Bible says about clothing. In fact, there are a lot of scriptures about clothing. The more I thought about putting on Christ, the more I searched what else I am to put on or take off.
Luke 12:35 says to be dressed for action. The idea here is the biblical concept of girding your loins. Which just sounds funny. Can you imagine if you call your kids down for breakfast in the morning and they respond with, “I’ll be right there. I’m just girding my loins”? Oh my, that would make me laugh. But the idea of being dressed ready to serve at His command is an admirable way to dress for life.
Colossians chapter 3 gives you a list of things to take off: anger, malice, slander, obscene talk. It also then gives a list of things to put on or clothe yourself with: compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, and above all love which binds everything together.
Isaiah 61:3 says to put on the garment of praise. Yes, the Bible really does have a lot to say about what we should clothe ourselves in.
So the next time you get dressed in your “best foot forward” outfit, ask yourself this question: Are you also wearing compassion, kindness, humility and love that ties the whole outfit together? And when you slip into your comfy pants, let those pants be a reminder to find time to sink into Christ. What you put on can change the way you feel about yourself, but when you spend time with Jesus it will change you!
