WEAR THOSE WEDDING GARMENTS!

Good morning!  And how are you doing today? I hope well.  As for me, I'm doing great..so far. 
And as my computer is so far not occupied, I have decided to write about yesterday's journaling exercise.

It was kind of a scary one regarding clothes that must be worn at a King's wedding.  It could be an ordinary wedding, I suppose, but let's imagine being invited to one whose  someone special belongs within the top 1% of the folks out there..  You know, someone  whose name might be in WHO'S WHO.

At any rate, this person who is giving the wedding celebration is a big shot. And according to a passage in Matthew 22:11-14, he is most distressed because one man is not wearing the clothes given to him for this celebration. Is the man arrogant?  Or doesn't he want to join in on the festivities?

This is the passage from Matt. 22:11-14:  "When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly dressed.  He said to him, "Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that?"  The man was speechless.  Then the King told his servants, "Get him out of here- fast!  Tie him up and ship him to hell.  And make sure he doesn't get back in." (Then Jesus said,) "That's what I mean when I say, "Many are called but few are chosen."

Remember that verse?  It has always bothered me.   I wondered what kind of clothes am I to wear? And for what occasion? So I checked the LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE for clarification and found the wedding clothes stands for the righteousness needed to enter God's Kingdom.  This doesn't mean we must be perfect as you and I might see perfection.  It does mean  the total acceptance in God's eyes of that which Christ gives to every believer.  Christ provides the garment of righteousness for each of us and we must choose to wear it.  We'll be all dressed up in God's righteousness and ready to live with the King!

I want to be there.  I want to be dressed in this wonderful righteousness!  I want to be part of the "few that are chosen"!  But, how can I be sure that I'll be chosen? How can I be sure that I am "wearing" the garment of righteousness that Christ has provided?

Well, one garment I wear quite often just has to go.  It has to go to the dump! Or maybe I should burn it!   I don't want anyone else having to wear it. It's the garment of self, self deprecation or self-satisfaction.  An old habit, I get into self, that ugly little garment which keeps on getting out of the closet.  And even worse,  I  let that cheap, soiled rag rule over the lovely righteousness I so desperately want to wear. Why can't I just kick it back into a dark corner?

I am not  going to tell myself anymore that I am not good enough for this, or that I am too good for that. I am only good enough when Christ is within me and around me.  Any radical thinking about myself will prove self-righteousness, so  I will  cloak myself in the righteousness of God.

I need you, always, Lord!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!  Jo