Dressed for Success

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, My King and my God, for to you I pray. Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (Psalm 5:1-3 NIV)

The vast majority of the last year I have spent in my house. First painfully incapacitated and waiting for spinal surgery number six, then struggling with a long, difficult recovery after serious complications. That was coming along slowly but surely when I was faced with the necessity of eye surgery due to an invasive skin cancer growth. I came up with a saying that pretty much sums it up… “I love my house… But not this much!” I was claiming Psalm 55:11 a lot!

Evening and morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.

Now that I’m up and “running” again at about 75%, I’ve been thinking about how I spent all that time. It seems I was mostly tucked as comfortably as possible into my trusty blue recliner with the remote in my hand! (The no-reading rule after the eye surgery was not helpful!) Do you know there are some astonishingly weird shows on TV?! I mean seriously, after intriguing stuff like Animal Planet, NatGeo Wild, Designated Survivor (I love Kiefer Sutherland), and The Crown, the remote can, and did, find a LOT of ”lesser quality” options.

One of those is a series called “Say Yes to The Dress” …and yes, I said yes to watching it. The deal is that brides-to-be come into this exclusive bridal shop in search of the perfect, dream wedding gown to the tune of thousands of dollars. As each bride starts her search, the host joyfully asks, “So what is your budget and who is paying for your dress?” I actually watched one bride choose a $25,000 bridal gown (one-of-a-kind, of course), AND a dress for her reception that topped $15,000! All together with accessories and veil she departed, happily, having spent over $50,000 for clothes she will wear one time. Good grief!

So one day, yet again, I’m sitting there in the blue recliner, watching this dumb show, and feeling more than a little bit sorry for myself. As my mood blends more and more into the color of the chair, I find myself musing, “I wonder who would pay that high a price for a dress for me?” and WOWZER! Once again, God in His goodness, and mild irritation, grabs me by the scruff of my soul and pulls me out of the doldrums!

THAT, MY BELOVED, HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE! Now turn off the TV! Get out of yourself! And get into my Word!

Yikes! So I did. . .

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143:8 NIV) But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:11-12 NIV) 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 righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10 NIV) The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

He chose me, and His son paid the ultimate price for me. HE HAS DRESSED ME FOR SUCCESS! For today and for eternity! Therefore I can joyfully get out of the blue recliner, with my hands held high in praise, knowing His perfect love is wrapped around me. I can eagerly ask, “God, what is your new truth for me today? What is it you want me to do? Where do you want me to be? What is it you want me to speak? As your disciple, You promised to meet me in Galilee…so Lord, where is Galilee for me today?”

Love and Joy! Char

Char can be reached via email here.