Being Clothed"

"For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality."

1 Corinthian 15: 53

The apostle Paul wrote wistfully about the resurrection body, and my sentiments are his. I, too, groan over my earthly tent. Age, disease, or disability has a way of making us long for a trade-in. How we will be clothed with the imperishable, I do know. Perhaps C.H. Spurgeon e plained it best: "At present we wear our bodies on the outside and our souls on the outside." Oh, to wear out our soul on the outside! Perhaps that's what the Bible 'eans when it says that one day we will be clithed in righteousness. We will wear our right-standing wuth wgod on the outside as though it were a beautiful garment. Our bright-shining rai'ent will be all glorious, reflecting on the outside the life of Christ cultivated on the inside. While we wait to be clothed with the imperishable for eternity, we can put on the advice of Colosians 3:12: "Clothe yourselves with compasision, kindness humility, gentleness abd patience."

  The best way to guarantee our being clothed with righteousness in heaven is to clothe oursekves with godly attributes diwn here on earth. Lord of the resurrection, I cannot begin to coprehend what it mean to, me one say, be clothed with the imperishable, to put on immorality as if it were a garment. But I want to prepare for that glorious day as I demonstrate compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patiece to all those around me. Prepare me for heaven. Fit me for eternity, Fashion me into the person You want me to be that I will be ready for my eyernal clothed of righteousness.