Friday, 28 May 2021

Be diligent

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"Y'hoshua was clothed in garments covered with dung; and he was standing before the angel, who said to those standing in front of him, 'Take those filthy garments off of him.' Then to him he said, 'See, I am taking your guilt away. I will clothe you in fine robes.' I said, 'They should put a clean turban on his head.' So they put a clean turban on his head and gave him fine robes to wear, while the angel of ADONAI stood by." (Zechariah 3:3-5, CJB)

This is part of a vision that the propohet Zechariah sees. I would like to suggest that we could interpet the High Priest Y'hoshua as being representative of every believer. When we give our lives to the L-rd, He removes our filthy clothes of sin and gives us new clothes of righteousness.

When we first come to know the L-rd, or at times when we rededicate ours lives to Him, we are excited and full of resolve to stay holy and close to Him. Then mundane life sets in and we get caught up with the every day things of life. Staying clean and staying connected to G-d is hard work. It takes perseverance, self control and a lot of grace from Him!

We can think too much of our own state and whether we are "right before the L-rd", that our eyes become fixed on ourselves and not on Him, which isn't good. But every now and again, it's appropriate to do a stock check on our spiritual lives. Are we free from sin? Have we wandered from what we are supposed to be doing? Have we allowed our clean clothes of righteousness to become smudged with sin?

This Shabbat, let us take the time to come before our Maker and ask Him to give us a wash and a brush up so we are standing clean and right befor Him!

"But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'" (Luke 18:13, NASB)