I received two items of clothing this week as gifts. I just love them and can’t wait to wear them and show as many people as possible.
One is a hoodie for our CrossLife men’s group with a Bible verse on the back. Thanks, brothers! The other is a T-shirt that says “Get used to different,” totally plugging my passion for The Chosen series. Anyway …
There’s a difference between receiving clothing as a gift and going shopping for clothing.
When you go shopping, you decide ahead of time that you need a comfortable pair of jeans, a new shirt or a fashionable accessory. Then you go get it. Then you’re excited about wearing it.
Receiving clothing as a gift means that someone else decides ahead of time, not you. They go get it, not you. They give it to you. Then you’re excited about wearing it.
God’s gift of grace is just like a gift of clothing. We don’t decide ahead of time, but God does. We don’t go get it, but God brings it to us through the gospel of Jesus Christ. God gives it to us as a gift.
Then, by faith, we decide to wear his grace and get excited about it and tell others about it.
Your clothing from God is the perfect fashion. It is the covering and the glory of Jesus Christ himself! Pure in heart. Powerful over sin. Promised in baptism.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26,27).
That gift can come through baptism for little ones who can’t yet understand and appreciate Jesus. Babies get all kinds of clothes from loved ones. So also from God, spiritually.
If you are baptized—as an infant, teen or adult—you have God’s promise that your clothing is a gift from him. Get excited about wearing it!
PRAYER: I’m all dressed up, Jesus, with your clothes given to me by grace. Increase my appreciation for my baptism, and for the gift of salvation that is your decision and my delight. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Looking for more Bible teaching about baptism? Here’s a recent sermon I preached called “Living Water.”
