A Lesson Learned: by Robin Thomas
I’m a jeans and hoodie kind of girl. I guess I’m not your typical “princess” type. When I was little I preferred stuffed animals to a Barbie and riding bikes to playing with dolls.
They say “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” I do like diamonds but I prefer to wear them with jeans and cowboy boots. In fact, I love it that the last two family weddings we had the brides wore cowboy boots with their dresses. Women after my own heart. I actually wore tennis shoes, yep, but don’t worry, they were fancy tennis shoes.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
The Lord asks us to come to Him just as we are in our less than perfect, broken state, but what then?
I was sitting on my couch the other day in all my unwashed glory reading my morning devotional and anticipating our “online” bible study. I did not need to dress up or even get off my couch but I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Present yourself as unto the Lord.”
Now those are not words I would use in the course of my day, so I listened. I got up and showered and put on makeup, a pair of jeans and a clean hoodie and I realized that God wants us to make an effort. It’s an attitude. We can come to Him as we are but shouldn’t we bring the best version that we are?
There is a difference between an attitude comfort and an attitude of disrespect.
I believe God wants me to come to him with an attitude of respect. I am the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Most often we look at this passage in regards to what we do with our body physically, but I think that we should also consider that when we present ourselves to the Lord we should treat him like the CEO of our life. Would we show up for a meeting with the CEO in dishevel? Should not God rank higher than a CEO?
If your best is jeans and a t-shirt, then rock it before the Lord. Respect does not mean you have to wear heels, (thank the Lord) but it does mean that your best effort is required.
In the Old Testament wearing sackcloth and ashes was a sign of humility before God, but as the Holy Spirit now dwells in the temple of our heart, I like what the words of David in Psalm 30:11 say,
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy”
I want to be clothed with joy!
I think the first step is coming before the Lord in an attitude of respect.
Pardon me while I go take a shower.
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