My God, My Tailor

At the Baptismal Creek, Holding the Shoes

Isaiah 61:10

New International Version (NIV)

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;

    my soul rejoices in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Matthew 5:3

New International Version (NIV)

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I love this picture of a mom, at least I think she must be a mom, holding the good white shoes for a baptismal candidate.  It's something a mom would do, sparing the good from damage and wear.  My own mother could make things last. She was recycling before it was ever the thing to do, but usually among her children.  Being the youngest of her daughters, I grew very familiar with hand-me-downs.  To my great delight, upon entering junior high school, my mother decided I would get my first new coat straight from the department store.  I was in heaven.  Of course, I gravitated to a sweet little cloth coat with princess seams.  It was the coat of my dreams; but, unfortunately, my mother wasn't a dreamer.  She found a straight-lined, buttoned coat made of some indestructible man-made synthetic fiber I didn't know existed.  It's only decoration was a faux fur collar guaranteed not to let in any cold air.  I hated it, but I wore it, all through junior high.  I couldn't loan, or lose that coat.  It was mine.

I'd been wearing an old, worn jacket over my swimming suit at the pool this winter.  I didn't bother to lock it up but hung it up on the common clothes rack, reasoning that no one would want that jacket, but someone did  It was taken and never returned, probably by one who thought that no one would miss it.  Sigh.  I hope they needed it.  It's likely my old, store bought coat still lives somewhere if they need that one too.

I've been poor but never really in want.  I think that those who truly are or have been poor, are the ones who appreciate a new garment.   While I may have obediently worn my mother's choice of coat, I was still rebellious in spirit; and I will yet remain rebellious in spirit, until Jesus is all I value.

  

A day is coming when my Savior will dress me in a new coat, my robe of righteousness.  I'm hoping it will have princess seams.

"Two Coats"- Patty Loveless