Home > Reading > The Daily Lectionary – July 7, 2016

romans8-1

Numbers 23:11–26; Romans 8:1–11; Matthew 22:1–14

When I was about 20 years old, my father remarried. He wanted to buy me some new clothes to wear to the wedding but I told him I had clothes. I really liked those pants but when I arrived at the wedding in my red and purple, plaid, seersucker, two-inch cuffed bell-bottoms, he was visibly and verbally upset with me.

Christ also invites us to a wedding and freely offers us his righteousness (Rom 13:14; Gal 3:27) as the only appropriate clothing for the occasion. Unlike my experience at my father’s wedding, there is no disapproval for those who are “in Christ Jesus.” It was difficult for me to not think about my clothing for the rest of the wedding but those who are clothed in Christ are occupied with things of the Spirit who now dwells within them. They are focused on the Father’s will, wanting to do what God says.

Christians are freed to do God’s will because they no longer have to worry if they are approved of or good enough. Since they have put on Christ, they are righteous because of him—approved and properly clothed for the wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev 19:9).

Prayer: Help me today, Lord, to set my mind on things of the Spirit. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Mark Ryman, Communications Coordinator for the NALC. 

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