Putting On Christ

This year and last year, I have spent time writing devotions for a local camp.  Each year a theme is picked based off of an anchor verse. Daily devotions are written for each day of camp around that theme and verse. I have not posted the devotions that will be used. I may do so later after the camp for this year is over.  

Anyway, as I was fleshing out subjects for each day, I wrote this devotion but it didn't quite match up with the theme. The theme was about armor and this devotion was more about what might be underneath it. So, I didn't use it. Ironically, it does coordinate well with the last post that I wrote about dress. Since it's not going to be used at camp. I thought I'd share it here. 

2014 Camp theme: Keep Calm ... and Armor On... Daily

2014 Anchor Verse: Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."

Title of Devotion: Put On Christ

Reference passage for devotion:  [Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.]

Has anyone in your family ever made you a garment? Perhaps a shirt or a pair of pants?  You've waited to receive it. You know it will be perfect but then when you get it, you eagerly try it on, only to find that it doesn't fit.  Perhaps the shirt is so big that it might as well be a dress. Maybe the pants have completely swallowed your feet or maybe you can’t button them. It just doesn't fit.

Verse Romans 13:14 says “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”  For many “putting on Christ” seems so intimidating.  Jesus was perfect. We are not. Jesus was wise. We are unsure. Jesus provided for multitudes. We might not be able to provide even for ourselves. So, often times, the life of Christ doesn't seem to ‘fit’ us and we tell ourselves “that life was made for someone else” or “maybe we’ll grow into it another time.”

However, if you have received a gift like one in the first paragraph; If you put it on, a tailor can quickly go to work, hemming sleeves, letting out pants, trimming lengths and cinching. Before you know it, the garment that looked impossible is suddenly a perfect fit. You just had to put it on and let the tailor go to work. Who better to alter it than the original creator?

Our creator has given us many gifts. Not just in our personal talents and spiritual gifts but he also lends his Holy Spirit and Word to each of us. He is also our personal tailor. He knows exactly where to go to work tweaking our lives, to reveal the most “Jesus”. We just need to be willing to put it on and willing to let him alter… Once you see what he can do, it might just change your appreciation for what has been given.

Think About It

1. Often we don’t dress for the job because we think that we don’t have anything to offer. We wait for skills to apply. We wait for talent before exploring creativity. Do you feel worthy of putting the armor of Christ on or being called upon by God?

2. Does it ‘suit’ you? Maybe you don’t like the way it feels to have to think about Christ or even talk about him. Mathew 10:33 says “But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” How does that verse impact you?

3. With or without "armor", would others be able to see evidence of Christ in your life?

Note: For more information about Helping Hands Mission Camp, please check out their site. It is an annual faith based camp that allows adults and youth to make repairs to homes for residents in our community.