Ladies, Put Your Clothes Back On
For a time of my life I knew a family who had several small children. This mother had her hands full, to say the least. It actually became somewhat common place to see at least one kid running around naked while their mom was hollering after them to put their clothes on. If you're a mom you can probably identify with this picture!
Well, I have to admit, I never really grew out of that stage. In fact, I've been trying to run around without my clothes on for the last 20ish years. Now, before you freak out, I'll relieve your worry by assuring you that I'm writing this post while fully dressed in a hoodie and jeans. I also am not on the Cochrane Police's most wanted list for public disturbances...yet. With that said, I would venture to guess I'm not the only one who has been struggling with this. In fact, you may not even know where your clothes are as you are reading this. Ok, Ok. I'll stop speaking in riddles.
Growing up I had this horrible issue with always trying to please God with my actions, my words, my appearance, you name it. Inevitably I would fail and would then find myself hiding from God just waiting for Him to "spank me." As time passed, and nothing necessarily "happened," I'd resolve to work extra hard to make God happy with me. That would last for about 45 seconds until I got mad at my sister for walking in the room and taking the air I was breathing. This crazy cycle of trying to please God and failing went on for many years until, at the age of 15, I finally came to the point of realizing nothing I did was enough. God was never happy with me. In fact, I didn't see a point in even trying at all anymore.
It was around this time that my youth pastor decided to start a bible study at his home called 52 Mondays. Every Monday for one year we met together and discussed one major question: "What is the Gospel?" Over the course of that year God used this study to help me to understand that I was a sinful human who could never please God. God loved me and desired to make me His child so He had sent Jesus as a baby to Earth. Jesus came to Earth as fully God and fully man. Jesus lived the perfect life that I could never live. Jesus then died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of death for my sin. When this happened, Jesus took my robes of filth on Himself and placed His robes of perfect righteousness on me. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to reign as my Righteous King. These basic truths rocked my very core and I realized that I not only couldn't do anything to make God like me, but Jesus had done everything that was required. God wasn't pleased with me because of my awesome clothes of good works. God was pleased with me because I was wearing the robes of Christ's perfect righteousness.
Fast forward to January 31, 2015. Almost one year ago today. I sat in the ER while a kind doctor broke the news to me that my broken body had rejected my first baby and the miscarriage process was beginning. I have never hated my body or myself so much. I remember sitting on the bathroom floor clawing at my own skin just trying to break out of my own body. As the days went by I would wonder why God would want anything to do with me. Why would my husband want anything to do with me? I was sure that deep down inside neither God nor my husband enjoyed the sight of me. I was broken; worthless; damaged. It's a dark picture. Have you ever been there? Have you looked at your past and had these same thoughts? Have you ever found yourself filled with regret and doing whatever possible to make yourself the slightest bit appealing to God? My friend, let me assure you that God's grace and mercy is a beautiful thing.
In the book of Genesis we see two individuals who were made in the image of God to glorify Him and enjoy perfect communion with Him. Before hardly any time had passed the two individuals chose to disobey God and, "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths (Genesis 3:7)." Due to the fact that these two were completed riddled through with sin they couldn't stay in the garden any longer. "And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them (Genesis 3:21)." God didn't do this because He was trying to spare Adam and Eve from being embarrassed in front of other people when they left the garden. Remember, Adam and Eve were probably the only two on earth at this moment. This was actually a very important moment in this story. An animal was sacrificed in order to clothe Adam and Eve and cover the shame of their naked, sinful condition. It would become a symbol that would continue for years and years to come. Continually, worshippers of God offered sacrifices to atone for (or cover) the shame resulting from their constant sin. For generations man found himself unable to meet the requirements of the law and never able to perfectly draw near to God because of the sin that stood between them.
Then entered Christ. The God Man who lived a perfect life without sin and met every requirement of the law. The Better Sacrifice that then died on a cross, as a Lamb being slaughtered, and "abolishe[d] the first order to establish the second (Hebrews 10:9)." The Lamb that was slaughtered, once for all, to provide clothes of righteousness for broken people who had royally messed up. "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14)."
As a result of all of this we stand clothed in Christ's righteousness. God is pleased with us, not because of our clothes, but because we wear the clothes of His Son. What an incredible truth! What does this then mean? It means we need to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14) and, in Christ, "become the righteousness of God (II Corinthians 5:21)."
To you who still feel yourself cowering from God, wondering if He is remembering your previous life of impurity before He intervened: You're clothed in Christ!
To you who wonder how God could possibly want anything to do with the despicable body of flesh you are encased in which has robbed you of the lives of your precious children: You are clothed in Christ!
To you who has experienced unspeakable violation and abuse at the hands of sin soaked men and wonder how God could want you near Him: You are clothed in Christ!
To you who are striving to please God and are "doing everything right" yet still lacking: You are clothed in Christ!
To you who secretly carry a hushed abortion in your past and are hiding in fear that God will remember and punish you: You are clothed in Christ!
To you wondering if God is punishing you for some forgotten past sin as you endure non-stop, devastating suffering: You are clothed in Christ!
Ladies, we all have a similar tendency to try to run around without our clothes on and impress God apart from the robes of Christ's righteousness. I must urge you, remember who you are before God as He sees you covered in Christ's righteous robes. Remember the beautiful coverings that the Lamb of God sacrificed to give you. Remember your Father and embrace the clothes He has provided for you!
Well, I have to admit, I never really grew out of that stage. In fact, I've been trying to run around without my clothes on for the last 20ish years. Now, before you freak out, I'll relieve your worry by assuring you that I'm writing this post while fully dressed in a hoodie and jeans. I also am not on the Cochrane Police's most wanted list for public disturbances...yet. With that said, I would venture to guess I'm not the only one who has been struggling with this. In fact, you may not even know where your clothes are as you are reading this. Ok, Ok. I'll stop speaking in riddles.
Growing up I had this horrible issue with always trying to please God with my actions, my words, my appearance, you name it. Inevitably I would fail and would then find myself hiding from God just waiting for Him to "spank me." As time passed, and nothing necessarily "happened," I'd resolve to work extra hard to make God happy with me. That would last for about 45 seconds until I got mad at my sister for walking in the room and taking the air I was breathing. This crazy cycle of trying to please God and failing went on for many years until, at the age of 15, I finally came to the point of realizing nothing I did was enough. God was never happy with me. In fact, I didn't see a point in even trying at all anymore.
It was around this time that my youth pastor decided to start a bible study at his home called 52 Mondays. Every Monday for one year we met together and discussed one major question: "What is the Gospel?" Over the course of that year God used this study to help me to understand that I was a sinful human who could never please God. God loved me and desired to make me His child so He had sent Jesus as a baby to Earth. Jesus came to Earth as fully God and fully man. Jesus lived the perfect life that I could never live. Jesus then died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of death for my sin. When this happened, Jesus took my robes of filth on Himself and placed His robes of perfect righteousness on me. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to reign as my Righteous King. These basic truths rocked my very core and I realized that I not only couldn't do anything to make God like me, but Jesus had done everything that was required. God wasn't pleased with me because of my awesome clothes of good works. God was pleased with me because I was wearing the robes of Christ's perfect righteousness.
Fast forward to January 31, 2015. Almost one year ago today. I sat in the ER while a kind doctor broke the news to me that my broken body had rejected my first baby and the miscarriage process was beginning. I have never hated my body or myself so much. I remember sitting on the bathroom floor clawing at my own skin just trying to break out of my own body. As the days went by I would wonder why God would want anything to do with me. Why would my husband want anything to do with me? I was sure that deep down inside neither God nor my husband enjoyed the sight of me. I was broken; worthless; damaged. It's a dark picture. Have you ever been there? Have you looked at your past and had these same thoughts? Have you ever found yourself filled with regret and doing whatever possible to make yourself the slightest bit appealing to God? My friend, let me assure you that God's grace and mercy is a beautiful thing.
In the book of Genesis we see two individuals who were made in the image of God to glorify Him and enjoy perfect communion with Him. Before hardly any time had passed the two individuals chose to disobey God and, "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths (Genesis 3:7)." Due to the fact that these two were completed riddled through with sin they couldn't stay in the garden any longer. "And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them (Genesis 3:21)." God didn't do this because He was trying to spare Adam and Eve from being embarrassed in front of other people when they left the garden. Remember, Adam and Eve were probably the only two on earth at this moment. This was actually a very important moment in this story. An animal was sacrificed in order to clothe Adam and Eve and cover the shame of their naked, sinful condition. It would become a symbol that would continue for years and years to come. Continually, worshippers of God offered sacrifices to atone for (or cover) the shame resulting from their constant sin. For generations man found himself unable to meet the requirements of the law and never able to perfectly draw near to God because of the sin that stood between them.
"For since the law was but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is reminder of sin every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin." - Hebrews 10:1-4
Then entered Christ. The God Man who lived a perfect life without sin and met every requirement of the law. The Better Sacrifice that then died on a cross, as a Lamb being slaughtered, and "abolishe[d] the first order to establish the second (Hebrews 10:9)." The Lamb that was slaughtered, once for all, to provide clothes of righteousness for broken people who had royally messed up. "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14)."
As a result of all of this we stand clothed in Christ's righteousness. God is pleased with us, not because of our clothes, but because we wear the clothes of His Son. What an incredible truth! What does this then mean? It means we need to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14) and, in Christ, "become the righteousness of God (II Corinthians 5:21)."
To you who still feel yourself cowering from God, wondering if He is remembering your previous life of impurity before He intervened: You're clothed in Christ!
To you who wonder how God could possibly want anything to do with the despicable body of flesh you are encased in which has robbed you of the lives of your precious children: You are clothed in Christ!
To you who has experienced unspeakable violation and abuse at the hands of sin soaked men and wonder how God could want you near Him: You are clothed in Christ!
To you who are striving to please God and are "doing everything right" yet still lacking: You are clothed in Christ!
To you who secretly carry a hushed abortion in your past and are hiding in fear that God will remember and punish you: You are clothed in Christ!
To you wondering if God is punishing you for some forgotten past sin as you endure non-stop, devastating suffering: You are clothed in Christ!
Ladies, we all have a similar tendency to try to run around without our clothes on and impress God apart from the robes of Christ's righteousness. I must urge you, remember who you are before God as He sees you covered in Christ's righteous robes. Remember the beautiful coverings that the Lamb of God sacrificed to give you. Remember your Father and embrace the clothes He has provided for you!
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