THE THREADS OF HIS LIKENESS

            

             The idea of walking around naked everywhere as the norm, like Adam and Eve experienced before The Fall, is hard to imagine now-a-days, but not impossible. Clothing is essential - mentally, spiritually and physically.

        Clothing has gone a lot of different directions since God clothed Adam and Eve with garments of skin (Genesis 3:21). Besides the fact that clothing is used as a sanitary function and cultural expectation, we observe clothing used for status, protection, making a statement, as a disguise and simply as a comfortable covering.

        We have certain, one-time outfits or at least far-and-few-between apparel in our closet. There are clothes that show we are in mourning. There are clothes that display we a part of a wedding party. There are clothes that hint at a Prom nearby. There are clothes we wear for Graduation. There is even a designation for special clothing we have that is brought out every-so-often, it is called "Your Sunday Best". In order to impress her suitor, Ruth was instructed to - "Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes." (Ruth 3:2-4). 

        However, there are daily clothes that we put on and go about our lives, with a range of people giving tremendous thought to their outfit to those that do not give any thought. Scripture tells us God has a Wardrobe and He desires to share some of it with us with a tailor fitting.

• “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?" (Matt. 6:28-34)

        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/she wears his emotions on his sleeve. 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.

        Consider our Fashion Conscience God.

• God is clothed with Creation in Proverbs 30:4.
• God is clothed with Majesty in Zechariah 6:13. 
• God is clothed with Splendor and Majesty in Psalm 104:1.
• Christ Jesus clothed Himself in humility in Philippians 2:6-8.
• God is clothed with empathy. He knows and shares what we have been through and are going through in Matthew 25:36.
• Jesus was clothed by man in a Royal color – Purple in John 19:2. 
• Jesus transfigured was clothed brilliantly in Matthew 17:2.
• The revealed and Glorified Jesus is someone to behold in Revelation 1:12-14!
• The Present and Future clothing of Christ displays His price for our eternal redemption in Revelation 19:13.
• God is clothed as a Warrior in Isaiah 59:15-17.

        In addition, notice in Ephesians 6:11 the armor spoken of is not mine or yours, but The Armor of God (perfect fittings available by the Holy Spirit).

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

        Major people in the Bible were 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 by sharing an 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 in Isaiah 61:10.

       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 are in His attire. And these are not just to wear on our sleeve, remember? We are to wear entire outfits with our clothing being interwoven with The Threads Of His Likeness.