We all want to put on clothes that are well-fitting, attractive, serviceable and appropriate! And we would never knowingly let our children leave the house with dirty or torn clothes that are too small, unless they are making mud pies or building a treehouse! But what about how we clothe ourselves spiritually?
That old life is like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you have put on a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with His label on it. All the old fashions are obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ. So, chosen by God for this new life of love, put on the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. Colossians 3: 9-14 (MSG)
Our Father feels the same. He wants to clothe our inner selves with the newness, the spotlessness, and the freshness of life that can only come from His cleansing Spirit. When we belong to Christ, we become a new person. Our old life is gone. He has put a new life inside us (2 Corinthians 5:17). That new life has new priorities, new desires and a new heart for people.
Use this time of fasting to not only feel physically cleansed, but spiritually cleansed. Put on your new clothes!
Just like your old clothes are now trashed, old ways of thinking and labelling people are gone and obsolete in your new life with Christ. Everyone is included. Everyone is loved. No matter what. My pastor once said that we have not been commanded to be right, but we have been commanded to love. Love is the pathway for people to find right living.
What could this new inner wardrobe look like in our life as we serve God?
Compassion: We give away the clothes we love but never wear (Luke 3:11).
Kindness: We find time to fix or provide reliable transportation for others (Deut. 22:4).
Humility: We wash, fold and pay for other’s laundry needs (Phil. 2:3).
Gentleness: We respectfully share the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15).
Patience: We keep planting seeds of love, never discouraged or weary, even when rejected (Gal 6:9). Forgiveness: We don’t count wrongs, but forgive all (1 Cor 13:5).
God has freely given us His garment of love to wear all the time, but we must put it on daily (James 2:15-17). Listen to the Holy Spirit when He whispers to give that shivering man on the street corner the extra hoodie you keep in your car trunk. Buy an extra burger and soda at the 7-11 for the scrawny gal sitting on the sidewalk. Tip your server an extra dollar or two at your local cafe, it will mean far more to him or her than to you. Take some kind of action because of His love today.
Holy Spirit, speak to me and remind me of the needs of the people You put in my path. Putting on Your love is easy, help me to put Your love on others. Amen.
happy hunger 
Leave a comment