Garments of Glory and Beauty

Chinese New Year (CNY) has the celebrants scurrying around preparing festive food and family from out of town booking tickets to 'go home' for reunions with their loved ones.  Boutiques and clothing stores do roaring business as the people shop for new outfits.  

The color 'red' features auspiciously for those garments.  Although, depending on the year, there could be other particular colors of choice.  Last year was lime green, this year gold or purple.  However, 'red' never goes out of CNY fashion.

Dressed in such finery, family and friends feast together at home and in restaurants for reunion dinners and dim sum brunches.  Food, fun, family and finery create joyful times and good memories for most.

It is like another time, in very ancient history.  The garments of Aaron, the Israelites' high priest, had very special garments of his position.  God told Moses to ...

" ... make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty ..." (Exodus 28:2 ESV).

Skillful craftsmen were to make them.  If you read the full description in verses 1-8, you will get a sense of the awesomeness of what this holy garment must have been like to see.  The sons of Aaron the high priest, also had their special priestly robes but the one the high priest wore had so much more detail, adornment and meaning.  When all was ready, there was an assembly of Israelites gathered for 'opening ceremony' consecration and donning of these garments.

Spiritually, our Lord would like all the followers of Jesus to be clothed in,

"compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (Colossians 3:12 NIV).

These are our special adornment to don.  After all, we are of a royal priesthood (see 1 Peter 2:9 ESV).  We have been set apart, consecrated for our God.  Let it be for God's glory and beauty, portrayed through us, His children, as we go about our daily Christian lives in whichever capacity we find ourselves.

For me, I think I especially need to be clothed with more gentleness and patience.  May the Holy Spirit help me with this as I become more like Jesus our Great High Priest.  Amen.

What about you?  With which garments will you adorn yourself?  

All glory be to God.

                                                      ~ ERC  February 2025 ~

Based on Exodus 28:1-8; 40-41 especially vs 2 (ESV); Colossians 3:12 NIV and Our Daily Bread Sept/Oct/Nov 2023 - 18 Sept - by Kirsten Holmberg.

Sing, Gentle and Lowly, along with Saddleback Worship.