BEAUTIFUL GARMENTS

Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. (Isaiah 52:1 NKJV)

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12 NKJV)

Put on strength. We don't have to purchase it, or generate it by prayers and resolutions, but simply to put it on. As we awake in the early morning hour, and have to pass out into the arena of life, which has so often witnessed failure and defeat, let us put on the strength and might of the living Christ. He waits to strengthen us with all power, according to the riches of His glory. Do not simply pray to be kept and helped, but put on the whole armor of God. "The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?"

Put on beautiful garments. The metaphor of the life of the Christian soul is that of the bridegroom or the bride decked with jewels; or a garden filled with beautiful flowers (Isaiah 61:10-11). We are not only to do right things, but we must do them beautifully; not only to speak the truth, but to speak it in love; not only to give to those who need our help, but to do it graciously and joyously. We must cultivate the bloom of the soul, which is made up of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, generosity. The beauty of the Lord our God must be upon us.

We can't weave these beautiful robes, or fashion them out of our own nature, but they are all prepared for us in Christ, who is "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." Let us wake up out of sleep, put off the works of darkness, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the armor of Light.

PRAYER

Lord of power and love! I come, trusting in Your almighty strength, and Your infinite goodness, to beg from You what is wanting in myself; even that grace which shall help me to be, and to do, as You would have me. I will trust You, in whom is everlasting strength. Be my helper, to carry me on beyond my own strength, and to make all that I think, and speak, and do, acceptable in Your sight, through Jesus Christ I pray, AMEN.

God's Daily Promise

Promise #269:
When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will be with you.

Psalm 23:4 (WEB)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.