Devotion: Lack of Clothes Makes Hot Pursuit Chilly Ordeal

by Marsha Iddings

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

On January 2, 2006 the newspaper headline read, "Lack of Clothes Makes Hot Pursuit a Chilly Ordeal". My neighbor two house around the corner was awakened in the early morning hours, New Year's Day, by a noise on the main floor of his home. He went upstairs wearing nothing but his Fruit of the Looms to investigate and was surprised to confront a thief in his kitchen. The surprised thief made off with my neighbor's wife's purse containing $500 and bolted for the door. My neighbor also bolted out the door in hot pursuit through the neighborhood, in the frigid winter air, in his underwear. Unfortunately, the thief got away and my neighbor returned home empty handed and a bit chilly.

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The Bible says that one day Jesus Christ will return as a thief in the night. We are warned to be ready and watching for His return.

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

1Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

You don't want to be caught naked. Isaiah 64:6 says that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. When we try to to come to God wearing the filthy rags of our own good works, we might as well be naked because that is what God sees. The only way to not be caught naked is to have the robe of Christ's righteousness covering our sin. Isaiah 61:10 puts it so well:

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

What will you be wearing when Christ returns? Will it be the Fruit of the Looms of your own good works, which God sees as filthy rags? Or will you be wearing the garment of salvation, the robe of righteousness that God in His mercy offers you to cover your spiritual nakedness?