February 18 - Put on the Clothes of the King

Happy Monday. I hope you had a great weekend and are ready to hit the ground running this week. At church yesterday I was reminded again that no matter how good we think we have been, we could never do enough on our own to deserve heaven. It’s a gift of God to us and we either accept it or reject it. We are invited into heaven not because we are good but because He is good. It is only by God’s mercy that we enter in. There are some who don’t think they need mercy and they will never receive it but those of us who realize we need it, may receive it. We know that nothing happens without it. 


A parable that has always left me scratching my head is in Matthew 22:1-17. Jesus told this parable of judgement during his last few days on earth. It is the one where the king goes to great trouble and expense to prepare a banquet. When it was ready, the people who were invited decided they didn’t want to come, they were too busy with the other things in life that had become more important than time with the king. Some even killed the messengers who were sent to tell them the banquet has been prepared. In response the king sent an army to destroy them and burn their town. With all of the food ready, he sent out servants to the highways to invite anyone and everyone, the good and the bad, from all walks of life. While this crew of misfits were enjoying the meal, the king saw one man did not have on a wedding garment. the king threw him out for lack of the proper clothes. He received the same treatment as those who didn’t show up. 


Why? Because as I learned yesterday, the King would have provided wedding clothes for all the guests. This one man evidently decided his clothes were good enough and he didn’t need the garments of the king. Likewise, when we give our lives to God, he gives us clothing of the redeemed and we are able to shed our filthy rags and be ready to eat at the King’s table. But if we think our rags can be “good enough” we have missed everything. 


“I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬


We have all been invited because our God is good and kind. Put on the clothes he’s provided and and let’s remember that His mercy is a daily celebration. Never take for granted what He has done. 


King of Glory, we worship you and thank you for your mercy and your goodness. Your love overwhelms us and we stand is awe of your great grace. Help us to daily remember where you have brought us from and where we are going. Help us to keep our priorities in line so that we never let the things of this world come between us and you and separate us from your table. You have invited us all to come and dine because we have been set free. We want to take our place beside our Savior and join all the sinners who have been redeemed. All praise to you our wonderful Lord. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 17, 2020

Happy Friday. It’s the end of another week and we have had more opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us and sometimes that takes quite a bit of effort. I don’t know about you, but I’m not always anxious to embrace others and really listen to them or share with them (especially those who I don’t know well). Sometimes, I just look at them and think “Are you for real?” I don’t always agree with people over politics, sports or of course, religion. And let’s face it, we’d rather spend time with people we like and mostly agree.  And then I read my Bible. God hasn’t called us to sit in our little groups with only those we naturally gravitate towards, but to love people—all people, even those who aren’t necessarily loveable. In this passage, Paul writing to the people of Colosse remarks on how wonderful it is that they truly love others. That love must have really been something over and above the normal and he tells them that it is evident that it comes from the Holy Sp
Read more

January 15, 2020

Happy Wednesday to you. I hope your week is going well. Yesterday, I went to Sams. I was out of things like trash bags, toilet paper, and chicken, so off I went. I like going to Sams because there is always lots to look at and the isles are nice and wide. Everytime I’m there, I am amazed at how much stuff and everything from diapers to TVs to mangos to beds. It just seems incredible that so many things in such quantities are all under one roof.  King David never saw a store with as much stuff aa Sams of course, but he did see countless miracles and understand that God has plans. He knew from creation and history that he was serving a God of miracles and he know that God loved him and his people and would take care of them. He was amazed and awe-struck by the fact that a God who had done such great and mighty things not only cared about his people but that He loved them with such a great love.  “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can co
Read more

January 9, 2020

It’s Thursday and I woke up to the blowing wind! Lots of it—I’m dreading Boomer waking up and having to go outside with him. That harsh, bitter wind seems cruel and almost evil. But I’ll wrap myself up with a fe layers and boots and brave it all.  Sometimes I think we try to do that with things we know aren’t right—things that are evil. We try to wrap ourselves up and just wade into it, but Paul tells us we should reject it—stay away from it. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:20-24‬ NIV When he wrote this he’d been in Berea and the Christians there diligently searched the scriptures to make sure everything Paul said was in line. Paul here is encouraging the Thessalonians to
Read more