Get Yourself Dressed

Text: Colossians 3:12-14 Theme: Loving God and others is our greatest virtue and responsibility. Key verses: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever…Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (v. 12-14) What God said to me: Son, once again Paul’s message boils down to a simple idea, a small word that makes it easy for anyone to grasp and apply. First, Paul appeals to your love for me when he says, “…as God’s chosen…” If you do not love and appreciate me as your Father, you will not be motivated to truly love anyone else. Notice that once again you have a responsibility in this thing called the Christian life. Not only are you to put your sinful ways to death (v. 5), but you are also supposed to put your own spiritual clothes on, starting with compassion, then kindness, humility, gentleness and finally patience. Here is how those clothes will appear to others. They will see that you bear with them and forgive anything they throw at you. In fact, truly holy garments allow us to forgive at the level of Christ’s forgiving us. (Of course, only Christ in you, moving and motivating your “garments,” can allow you to forgive like that.) All those were actually undergarments that are incomplete and need a covering. Love is that outer, most prominent and unifying quality you must have. All other virtues flow from a heart of love – your heart filled with my love. Question, Dwayne: Is your heart captivated by my love? Is my love through you evident to all who look at the “clothes” you are wearing everyday? What I said to God: Holy, awesome and loving God, thank You for again making it so very simple, yet still profound. The message today is clear and convicting. Did I show love toward my family yesterday? Did I look upon the opposite sex with only the desire to help them and serve them, rather than to selfishly lust after them? Did I seek opportunities to share Your salvation plan with another? Did I fervantly pray for those I supposedly love and am responsible to intercede for? In a word, did I get up yesterday and put on Your love? This morning the more important question is have I dressed in Your clothes today? I desire to, O Lord. Please help me love You and those You died for through out this day. I thank and praise You for speaking to me and forgiving me!