Clothed with Beauty

Clothed with Beauty

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. (Matthew 6:28-29 NASB)

I live in an over fifty-five senior community. We have a clubhouse activity center, swimming pool, and beautiful lake (great for fishing and paddle boating) surrounded on three sides with single and double-wide manufactured homes. We have two main streets with side streets branching down to the lake. Many of our seniors (including my wife and I) love to take a leisurely stroll around the lake. As we stroll along, we can observe the creative hand of God at work. It is springtime and the yellow jonquils have bloomed. This was followed by the opening up of the red buds, flowering dogwood, and the ornamental crabapple trees. Now the white, yellow, and blue irises are blooming along with the purple climbing clematis. Before long the buds on the roses with open. It won’t be long before the d

affodils will be blooming.

     One of the ways I have to let other people see the handiwork of God is to plant a flower garden under my crabapple tree and around my security light each year. I have red and yellow creeping phlox, day lilies, petunias, geraniums, iris, cineraria, pansies, dianthus, wallflowers, salvia, and an assortment of others types. Some are annuals while others are perennials. An elderly lady on an electric wheelchair came by the other day and commented on their beauty. I told her that they were clothed with beauty by our Creator God.

     The Psalmist David said, “In that day of battle, your people will serve you willingly arrayed in holy garments, your vigor will be renewed each day like the morning dew”(Psalm 110:3 NASB). When I accepted Christ as Savior, God clothed me in his “holy Garment” of righteousness. Each new day I am renewed by the power of God’s Spirit that resides within.

     When the time arrives, and only God knows, for Jesus Christ to return to earth to set up his kingdom, the Bible says that we will come with him riding on white horses and clothed in the finest pure white linen. White in the Scriptures is a symbol for purity. Just as God clothes the landscape with the beauty of his holiness, so also he clothes you and me with the cloak of Christ’s righteousness.

     You, too, see God’s creation every day. Do you relish in the glory and beauty of all you see? Do you praise God for his majesty and creative powers?

Prayer: Dear Lord, open our spiritual eyes so that we can behold the glory of your presence in the beauty you have prepared for us in nature.