My Wife Has a Dress Just Like Yours 2

 

Wearing hand-me down clothing has never bothered me. 

When I was a teen, my two cousins sent us a box of nice sweaters, and skirts they had outgrown. 

 

Mother was a whiz at making adjustments to fit our skinny frames, so my sister and I enjoyed a new winter wardrobe. 

 

Time passed and one Sunday at church, the Pastor’s wife took me aside and asked if I would be offended if she offered me a nice dress that no longer fit her.  I was very happy to say “Yes,” because at that time, my Sunday outfits were meager. 

 

She handed me a paper sack with the dress inside and I thanked her for her kindness.

 

The next Sunday, I proudly wore my new dress to church.

 

At the end of the service we were in line to shake the Pastors hand, and he looked at me and exclaimed, “My wife has a dress just like yours.”

 

I could not help it, and decided to have some fun.  I laughed as I replied, “This was her dress, but now it is mine.”

 

By now Pastor was embarrassed and was apologizing profusely for his slip of the tongue.

 

These days, I have more dresses and clothes than I need, and often find it necessary to hand-down some of my many things to our local organizations.

~ ~ ~ 

As I considered how this story might apply to our Christian life, I realized that when we accept Jesus as our Personal Savior, He makes us into a brand NEW creation.  He creates in us a NEW heart with new desires and goals.

 

Jesus places upon our shoulders,  the NEW royal robe of His righteousness and gives to us NEW garments of praise equipping us with brand NEW protection armor including NEW shoes of the gospel of peace.

 

In Christ Jesus our spirit is made NEW, and old things have passed away, our past sins are gone, never to be remembered by God anymore.

 

His mercies are NEW every morning and we are blessed.

 

So if you have some old spiritual hand-me downs in your religious closet, it is time for a good house cleaning.  Time to get rid of self pity, fear, reminders of abuse, guilt and oppression from the past.

 

Don’t hand them down to anyone else, but throw them into the junk burn pile and turn your back on them.

 

Face the Giver of life who offers you abundant grace to live life NEW in Him.

 

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.