REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 6, 2016, is provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston. Barry is a graduate of Stanford University (B.S.), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Gordon Conwell Seminary (D.Min.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Who Are You Wearing?”
Colossians 3:11
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
At red carpet events, celebrities are often asked, “Who are you wearing?” And in turn, they’ll drop the name of some celebrity designer. Often, my response in the rare moments I catch one of these events on TV is, “Who cares?!” Well, apparently many people do. Who and what we are wearing is apparently a pretty big deal. Our clothing choices say something about our taste, our wealth, our personality. In other words, our clothing choices say something about our identity. It’s actually a much deeper question than I normally give it credit for.
Well, what if our identity was one who had been forgiven by God and raised with Christ? What would our clothing choices be then? Perhaps we’d be wearing clothes distinctly designed by Christ, bearing his signature mark?—you know, marks like compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience? Forgiveness? Love?
So this morning, before you head to your closet and begin your day, who will you be wearing?
Prayer: Father, what an awesome God You are! Help me to taste and see Your goodness as You are adorned with Christ’s righteousness. I put my trust in You alone for I know that You are faithful. May I continue to grow in my knowledge (both theological and experiential) of You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Numbers 28
Lunch Break Study
Read Romans 13:11-14: Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Questions to Consider
- How does Paul use the metaphor of “wearing” in this passage? (hint: there are at least two). What are we to put on?
- How does knowing the hour change our mindset?
- What is the Spirit asking you to cast off and put on?
Notes
1. Paul urges us to “put on” the armor of light (v12) and the Lord Jesus Christ (v14). These are related metaphors. The metaphor of armor carries the suggestion of protecting ourselves from the darkness of this world. Ultimately, we are putting on Christ.
2. What we wear changes depending on whether it is night or day, since what we plan to do will also change depending on the time of day. If we believe that the “day is at hand”, then we will change our clothes accordingly. Paul declares that it is no longer time to live as though it is night but in a new day!
Evening Reflection
What did you wear today? What will you wear tomorrow? What would help you to carry this mindset throughout the day? As you journal, ask the Spirit to help you grow more conscious of the new reality in which we live.