What To Wear

Ever gone through times of wardrobe changes that weren’t based on seasonal variations? Like when you started a new job, or began taking care of a new baby or pet, and you realized you either needed to dress up or dress down to accommodate your new responsibilities.

Then there’s the intentional dressing for a specific activity or event. You wouldn’t be sporting your pumps or platforms for gardening or jogging anymore than you’d wear your sweats to your grandmother’s funeral.

And if you’re into renovations (home, not body) like some women I know you, you just might have tool belts and protective gear accessible in a closet nearby.

Or maybe school or profession required a uniform. That’s always interesting. You adapt to the changes and they become habit for as long as they are necessary.

Ultimately some occasions require the perfect, unique, made-for-you, one-time-only attire, like the wedding dress that dreams are made of. You may never wear it again but you save it forever.

We pack away or bag up what we aren’t using. We forget we have them.

I think we would all agree that what we put on often has a way of changing or expressing the way we feel about ourselves. Jammies, baggies, a power suit can silently holler “sleepy”, “comfy”, “frumpy”, or “confident”.

At times one of the only ways we exercise our creative energies is by choosing our apparel for the day. I bet you’ve had days where your bed is littered with rejected choices so jumbled up that you don’t even remember (or can’t find) the first item you pulled from your closet.

Your vision had the best of intentions, but some cruel view distracted you from your original intent. The size, shape or design just didn’t match who you were on that day, perhaps because you weren’t feeling very “beauty-full”. You might eventually settle for ‘whatever’ by not looking at your reflection on the way out.

And what about a time when you haven’t got an umbrella or a hooded coat with you and seemingly the cloud that is directly above you is the one that bursts . . . right when you are halfway (a very long halfway) between your car and your destination. So much for making an impressive appearance.

I realized a while back that I had gotten out of the habit of putting on one of my longstanding favorite outfits. Somehow it had fallen to the bottom of my morning routine pile. I had somehow bagged it up and packed it away behind newer accessories. I had forgotten how good it suited me; how confident I felt with it on.

It had ceased to be my deliberate first choice to express who I really was. I had stopped remembering that it had matching protective gear and some handy gadgets attached that could be needed at a moment’s notice. I had stopped making it an intentional part of my total wardrobe.

I am so grateful that it only lasted a while . . . before I looked at my reflection on my way out the door and realized that I was half naked.

I had not been consciously putting on my Armor of God!

Now I am not implying that God had stopped protecting me, or that I had not been depending on Him or serving Him. But I had let down a guard that I couldn’t afford to. You see, for me the very essence of putting on the whole armor of God means to daily speak it out, to see and handle each of the pieces found in Ephesians 6:13-17.

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Just like my need to coordinate, get into, and then look at the clothing I wear each day, I benefit from elaborating mentally on each one of the armor pieces. Do I have a verse that will fit around me today and will keep me put together? Have I checked to see if my heart is pure so that His covering over it will keep me safe in right standing?

Do I have a spring in my step and a steady stride that is ready to face anyone and anything that might have a need or be a nuisance? Have I been exercising a weighty enough amount of faith that I can keep it lifted and positioned at all times? And am I hydrated enough by the water of the Word that I could put out flaming arrows?

Am I willing to risk having a bad hair day by putting on a heavy cumbersome helmet that will forever save my life? Do I have enough sustaining truth within me that I could speak it out so sharply that it would cut up the foulest attacker? And if indicated am I prepared to use the blade on the other side of that very sword for trimming any of my own flesh that needs to be cut away?

Am I letting the Spirit prompt me to pray, about everything, without ceasing?

I must admit that armor would not by nature be my preferred attire. But it is His chosen uniform for me, for us. And I do feel confident putting it on every day before I step out. In fact I have gotten into the habit now of checking my reflection in the mirror to see if it’s all in place. I caught a glimpse of a polished shine on it the other day and I distinctly thought I heard God say, “You look good standing in that light. In fact in My eyes you look “Beauty-Full”.

Gratefully HIS,
Jan