One Size Fits All
I will sing for joy
in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul! He dressed me
up in a suit of salvation,
He outfitted me in a robe of righteousness…”
Isaiah
61:10
Picking the right things to wear can often
have its challenges. There are times where we have packed summery
clothes for wintry weather and cold weather for hot weather times. On the other hand, maybe it was a time when
you were overdressed for an occasion that called for much more casual
attire. Or a time when you were
underdressed for an evening that warranted something much more distinguished.
In Max Lucado’s book, He Chose The Nails, he recounts such an experience: “the maitre d’
would change his mind. He didn’t care that this was our
honeymoon. It didn’t matter that the
evening at the classy country club restaurant was a wedding gift. He could have cared less that Denalyn and I
had gone without lunch to save room for dinner.
All of this was immaterial in comparison to the looming problem.
I wasn’t wearing a jacket.
Didn’t know I needed one. I
thought a sport shirt was sufficient. It
was clean and tucked in. But Mr. Black-Tie
with the French accent was unimpressed.
He seated everyone else. Mr. and
Mrs. Debonair were given a table. Mr.
and Mrs. Classier-Than-You were seated.
But Mr. and Mrs. Didn’t-Wear-A-Jacket?
If I’d had another option, I would have
begged. But I didn’t.
The hour was late. Other
restaurants were closed or booked, and we were hungry. “There has got to be something we can do,” I pleaded. He looked at me, then at Denalyn, and let out
a long sigh that puffed his cheeks. “All
right, let me see.”
He disappeared into the cloakroom
and emerged with a jacket. “Put this
on.” I did. The sleeves were too short. The shoulders were too tight. And the color was lime green. But I didn’t complain. I had a jacket, and we were taken to a
table. (Don’t tell anyone, but I took it
off when the food came.)
For all the inconvenience of the evening, we
ended up with a great dinner and an even greater parable. I
needed a jacket, but all I had was a prayer.
The fellow was too kind to turn me away, but too loyal to lower the
standard. So the very one who required a
jacket, gave me a jacket, and we were given a table.
Is that what happened at the cross?
Seats at God’s table are not available to the sloppy. But who among us is anything but? Unkempt morality. Untidy with truth. Careless with people. Our moral clothing is in disarray. Yes, the standard for sitting at God’s table
is high, but the love of God for His children is high. So he offers a gift.
Years ago, theologian, W.J. McGucken
said, “Unless this fact of the ‘Fall of
Man,’
or, if you will, the dogma of original sin-be admitted, in some people,
Christianity
simply collapses like a pricked balloon.” Or put simply, we are
clothed
in sin and only the robe of Christ’s righteousness, obtained on the cross,
will
do. Isaiah 61:10 says, “I will sing for joy in God,
explode in praise from deep
in my soul! He dressed me up
in a suit of salvation; He outfitted me in a robe of
righteousness…” What we could not provide for ourselves, He provided for us.
Thankfully, we have a Savior who was
prepared for such an occasion. Before the beginning of time, He was
fashioning a custom-made robe for you and me and fortunately for all of us…one
size still fits all.
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1)
Describe
the moment in your life you discovered Christ offered you a “robe of
righteousness?”
2)
What
righteousness in your life does He want to offer you today?
Consider reading the Word today:
Copyright 2014- Terry Risser
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