GOD'S WARDROBE


In an effort to stress the importance of not worrying, Matthew 6:28-34 records Jesus speaking about clothing as one of the preoccupations that can divert people's focus away from God. Clothing is not a bad thing. In fact, it is encouraged for a number of reasons - sanitary/health just being one. But when worry enters the picture constantly and consumes you concerning how you want to portray yourself everyday, then there is an issue. Read how Jesus explains this-

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?"

Here are the main points -
  1. Don't worry
  2. Trust God and what He wants to clothe you in
  3. Seek Him first (verses 31-34)
Notice God desires to clothe us in better things than mere physical, material, eye-catching clothing. He wants to clothe us in His mental, spiritual and physical Wardrobe!

You have heard the saying, He wears his emotions on his sleeve (or she). In Galatians 3:27, the thoughts, words and actions of Christ should not only be on our sleeve but should be our entire outfit!

"...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

We might have come a long way from being clothed by animal skins (Genesis 3:21), but we still desperately need to trade our old, mental and spiritual rags (Isa. 64:6) in for Christ's Line-Up of Spiritual Apparel.

We find main characters of Christianity in the Bible clothed in different things. Job was clothed with physical sores and worms (Job 8:22). David was clothed in sackcloth (1 Chronicles 21:16).

Then David turned his description of clothing to more of a mindset and/or lifestyle instead of material or physical things. David describes "joy" to be something to be clothed with from the Lord in Psalm 30:11. Also "shame" and "grace" were to be worn for his enemies in Psalm 35:26. David continues to share this emotional description of clothing with nature when he says in Psalm 65:12 - "The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness."

David sings to the Lord a desire from his heart that a holy characteristic of the priests be worn as clothing - righteousness.

"May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; may your faithful people sing for joy." (Psalm 132:9) 

Isaiah proclaims this truth over his own life, but throws in "salvation" as a garment when he said in Isaiah 61:10 -

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

Now let us consider our Fashion Conscience God. God is clothed with Creation in Proverbs 30:4“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!”

God is clothed with Majesty in Zechariah 6:13“It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne.

God is clothed with Splendor and Majesty in Psalm 104:1“Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

Christ Jesus clothed Himself in humility – “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

God is clothed with empathy. He knows and shares what we have been through and are going through. Matthew 25:36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Jesus was clothed by man in a Royal color – Purple. John 19:2“The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe.

Jesus transfigured was clothed brilliantly. Matthew 17:2“There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

The revealed and Glorified Jesus is someone to behold! Revelation 1:12-14 describes Him like this - “…among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.”

Present and Future clothing of Christ displays His price for our eternal redemption.  Revelation 19:13 says, “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the Word of God.”

God is clothed as a Warrior in Isaiah 59:15-17 who does the fighting Himself. Then in Ephesians 6:11 we observe the armor spoken of is not mine or yours, but The Armor of God (perfect fittings available by the Holy Spirit). 

If you notice, God had many splendid things He arrayed Himself in. But everything He clothed Himself with, including humanity, had a grand purpose. We get up and may or may not put a lot of thought into the clothes we wear for the day. God has an entire Closet that He has drawn from and would like to see us wear. 

Getting in God's dresser, as studied above, means that we should be daily clothing ourselves with the likes of the joy of the Lord, righteousness, His continuing saving favor, love, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Also, His truth, faith and revealed word is in His attire. And these are not just to wear on our sleeve, remember? We are to wear entire outfits with the threads of His Likeness interwoven into our clothing. 

Some of His clothing is made only for Him. But I believe there is, as I alluded to before, a whole Line-Up of Spiritual Apparel that the Holy Spirit desires to fit us with perfectly - God's Wardrobe.

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