New Clothes

LENT--DAY 6

SCRIPTURE

Zechariah 3:1-10 (NRSV)

Satan tempts Joshua

Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." And to him he said, "See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you with festal apparel." And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with the apparel; and the angel of the Lord was standing by.

Then the angel of the Lord assured Joshua, saying "Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. Now listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who sit before you! For they are an omen of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch. For on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven facets, I will engrave its inscription, says the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, you shall invite each other to come under your vine and fig tree."


DEVOTION

During this Lenten Season I am ever aware of the fact that I stand before God in "filthy rags."

Those filthy rags are my sin and they are ever before me.

During Lent, as we pray, fast, and make confession for sin we come to the realization that God is always faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Just as Joshua was stripped of his "filthy rags" and put into holy-day clothes, so too are we stripped of our sin and clothed in the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus!

I don't know about you, but I am so glad that Jesus loves us so much that he was willing to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life. I am also happy-glad that he did not stay dead, but was resurrected, just as he promised!

Because this is so, I do not have to live weighed down by guilt and shame. I am free in Jesus! God has taken away my sin and given me "new clothes" to wear in God's Kingdom.

If you have not accepted your new and free wardrobe from God, today would be a great day to do so.


Won't you pray with me?

Holy One, thank you that you remove my guilt, forgive my sin, and gift me with eternal life. Thanks also that you remove the dirty rags of my sin and clothe me in party clothes of repentance. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again on the third day for me. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can share this good news with others! I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


SPECIAL NOTE

If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, today, you are saved! Let me encourage you to tell a Christian friend that you just put all of your hope in Jesus. Ask him or her to help you find a Bible that is easy for you to understand and to find a good Bible believing church where you can be baptized and make new friends who will walk with you on your Christian journey!

I would be honored if you would let me know about your decision today by clicking "YES" in the poll located in the upper-right hand corner of the good news blog in answer to the question, "Did God save you today?"

Congratulations and Happy Re-birthday! Your salvation is our GOOD NEWS, please go and share the GOOD NEWS with others!


ANNOUNCEMENT

During the Lenten Season, all Good News readers are challenged to forward this blog to one person each and every day! Read, share, and BE good news! Go in peace, serve the Lord! (Thanks be to God!)