Tuesday, December 26
Looking good!
Scripture: Revelation 19
Revelation 19:6–8 Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).
Observation
Notice the following:
There is a party coming! The wedding celebration of the Lamb will be a party that will make all others pale by comparison. God knows how to celebrate!
The bride (that’s us) will be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen. This was an expensive cloth used by priests and kings. We’ll be looking good!
The fine linen stands for the righteous deeds of the saints. We’ll be adorned with good works. We’ll be wearing what we’ve done with our lives.
Obviously, this is not about doing good in order to be saved. We are saved by grace and do good as a response, not a cause. Everything we do for Jesus—every act of goodness, kindness, faithfulness—will adorn us in the end.
Application
I want to be looking good for the wedding party!
We’ll be wearing what we’ve done with our lives. What will I be wearing?
This passage makes me think about what I’m doing with my life, particularly in light of Matthew 25:31-46 and related passages: “what you do for the least of these.” It’s more than just being a nice person and avoiding harm. It’s active goodness; it’s bringing justice to unjust world; it’s doing the right thing even when it’s hard; it’s sharing the good news with those who need God’s love.
What can I do today that would be fine linen?
Prayer: Lord, I’m so grateful for Your goodness to me! Help me today to bring that same goodness to a broken, hurting world.
More: Zechariah 7-8, John 16