Because I am a new Mommy (My little one is 6 ½ months old), I am still working on getting into a groove or routine. Thankfully, my work at the church affords me the wonderful opportunity to work a lot from home. Because God is so good, K gets to stay at home. I begin each day working. I like to put in a few hours before K wakes up. When K wakes up, it’s on! The balancing act begins! Since I am very busy most mornings, I usually don’t get dressed until after 12 p.m. If I can get dressed, do my hair and put on make-up before noon, it’s a miracle. Some days I am able to accomplish this feat if I stick to a rigid schedule and let K whine a little bit. But, most days, I’m getting dressed around 1 p.m.
However, if I learned anything from the earthquake that hit the East Coast a couple of months ago, it’s this…I never want to be standing outside of my house with no makeup on, hair undone, and pajamas again. I want to be ready if there’s ever an emergency. I want to be dressed. I want to look decent. I want to be ready if an emergency comes. Since October 21st is crazy Harold Camping’s second failed proposed end-of-the-world date, I started to think about this notion of being dressed when it comes to my relationship with Christ. I want to be dressed when Jesus comes.
Vanity? Maybe.
I know what you’re thinking. This is pure vanity. Who cares if you’re dressed when Jesus comes back? I understand. However, hear me out. I know that if we’re raptured during our lifetime, it will happen so fast that I won’t have the chance to worry about what I’m wearing (1 Thessalonians 4:17). But, if I had a choice, I want to be dressed when Jesus comes. I want to have showered for the day. I want to have brushed my teeth, put deodorant on and put on make-up. I definitely want my hair to look like I put a comb through it. I want to look my best when my Savior comes. I don’t want to hug Jesus funky because I haven’t showered. I don’t want to thank and kiss my Savior and my breath smells like last night’s garlic-filled lasagna. I want to be dressed when Jesus comes!
In the “black church”, we subscribe to the notion of dressing for Jesus. When we go to church, we wear our Sunday’s best! Generally speaking, you will find that most black church goers wear their best clothes on Sunday. Some churches even go as far as banning sneakers and jeans. And it’s not because we are vain, legalistic or trying to have a fashion show every Sunday. It’s because we want to look our best when we formally present ourselves to Almighty God. Not only do we want to be dressed, but we want to be “dressed to the nines!” However, when I say I want to be dressed, I’m not just talking about clothes.
Clothed in the Incorruptible
Yes, I do want to be dressed for the day when Jesus comes, but most importantly, I want to be ready when Jesus comes. Matthew 25:1-13 tells the parable of the ten virgins. Five were foolish and missed the wedding because they weren’t ready when the bridegroom came. They had no oil for their lamps. Jesus told the disciples this parable to teach them about his second coming. He wants all of us to be ready because no one knows the day or the hour he will come—not even Harold Camping LOL!
I don’t want to be like those five foolish girls. I want to be ready when Jesus comes. I want to be clothed in righteousness; cloaked with humility; covered in holiness; filled with love; rocking redemption; and stuntin’ in my garment of praise!
What about you? What are you doing to make sure you’re dressed when Jesus comes?