May 15 Clothed with love

Sunday:  Emma drove over to her storage unit this afternoon to retrieve some summer clothing, a few dresses she has never before worn, and other items. One of those unworn dresses was one she had chosen to wear to her senior prom (which was cancelled, due to COVID). This dress was EXPENSIVE! And it was exquisitely lovely ...

I was sitting here at my desk editing pictures (naturally) when Emma walked out of her bedroom wearing the dress--which at first distressed her because it was NOT fitting (it's a size zero)--she couldn't get it zipped! It's not that she had anywhere to wear this gorgeous gown--but she had NEVER worn it! We fussed with it a bit, but it was clear to me that it wasn't doing to fit.

Thankfully, Emma doesn't give up easily! It turns out that she was wearing an undergarment that was a bit bulky--once she removed it, the dress fit her perfectly. She "waltzed" back out to me, practically floating on air. The dress is so gorgeous, and Emma is so lovely wearing it. I very badly wanted to take a picture of Emma in that dress, but I didn't want to spoil the moment. You see, God was speaking to me ...

Before church this morning, I had just been reading Colossians 3.12 through the end of the chapter:

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU MUST WEAR IS LOVE. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.

I had wondered: How on earth does a person WEAR LOVE?

Here's the thing: When Emma put on that dress, it changed her! I could tell she FELT different ... she FELT beautiful. How do I know? It was in her smile. It was in the graceful way she walked. Even her voice was different!

Like I said, I didn't take one single picture of Emma in her "prom" dress, but just to illustrate what a beautiful dress does to my Emma, let me re-post these pictures from Anna's wedding when Emma was wearing another lovely dress ... and she walked with such grace ...

Romans 13:12 and following :  "The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light ... clothe yourselves with CHRIST."  

If I could just keep this picture in my mind ... take off my wrong thinking, my selfish deeds ... like dirty clothing that I throw in the laundry basket ... put on my beautifully clean gown of righteousness and holiness ... and walk on air! Walk like I am dressed in His love! 

What if every day I realized that being "clothed with Christ" meant living a life of kindness and mercy, humility, forgiving wrongs people had done to me ... living a life of LOVE? Would people notice? Would they SEE Jesus in me?  

I love Emma's smile in this picture. She is relaxed, confident, and full of happiness. 

One day, Christians will wear clothing that I truly love to think about (Revelation 3:4-5):

They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out their names from the Book of Life.

Help me dress myself in YOU today, Lord.