Christmas Traditions
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness… Isaiah 61:10
For many years, I paid no attention to infant clothing. I had no reason to, I suppose. By the time our children came along, some people my age were having grandchildren. It was unreal how much variety there was when gifts started coming in for a new daughter. Clothing of every kind and color is showered upon a newborn.
It’s humbling to be reminded that the most important birth in this world’s history began in very simple fashion. In fact, we might say there was “no fashion,” as far as clothing goes. The Gospels tell us that at Jesus’ lowly birth, His mother Mary wrapped her new son, the true God, in simple swaddling cloths.
This may well be one of the reasons why many in Jesus’ lifetime missed out on the wonder of what they were witnessing. To many, Jesus appeared just like anyone else.
And yet, Jesus was very different from everyone else! While He came in lowly form, like any other human, He still came as the perfect Son of God. He came to do what no one else could do. He came to bring about our salvation with His perfect life and His innocent sufferings and death.
And this causes us, believers in Christ, to rejoice! Our God has clothed us with the salvation won for us by the Savior. His righteousness has become ours! These garments, the “garments of salvation” and the “robe of righteousness,” are much finer than the priciest suit or the most glamorous gown. They cover us in the very righteousness of Christ and make us perfectly acceptable to God Himself. Jesus’ holiness and salvation have become our own by faith. For this we rejoice! We rejoice in our Savior who came to bring this about for us. We rejoice in Jesus’ righteousness which is now ours! We rejoice in our salvation! Amen.
Savior Jesus, we rejoice and praise You for the righteousness and salvation that You have given us! Amen.