Dressed for the Occasion
Years ago I was invited to attend a quinceañera to say a few words about this wonderful young lady and offer a prayer for her. I was told by the family that it would be a small event in the family’s backyard and that they would fire up the barbecue to cook for everyone. Being that this was a small backyard event I went in jeans and a button-down shirt. When I got there everyone had on either a suit or a tuxedo. The quinceañera had on the most beautiful white dress, one of those with the wire bottom that makes the bottom look like a bell. The problem is that they had forgotten to tell me about the dress code! When I saw the elegance I did not want to go in. I fought it! Even though I was clean, I felt dirty and messy compared to how everyone else was dressed. Had I had time to go home and change I would have done so, but I had no time so I decided to go in. Needless to say, I felt so uncomfortable and out of place throughout the entire party! Well, this is how many feel about entering God’s presence during the song service at church. They feel dirty and unworthy to sing to the Lord and bask in His presence. They feel uncomfortable, as if they do not belong, and all they do is remember the filth of their past, which makes them feel even more unworthy. Here is what we need to know. Hebrews10:19-22 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water” (NLT). We are not dirty any longer! We are not unworthy any longer! Jesus Christ has washed us with His blood so that we no longer have to carry a guilty conscious! Our sinful bodies were also washed clean! All the sinful things that we ever did with our bodies have been washed away! We are dressed for the occasion and are told to boldly enter God’s presence! So join with the Prophet Isaiah in saying, “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10, NLT).