Royal Robes
From the depths of a trunk of treasures recently, I found the Coronation Book of Queen Elizabeth 11. Of course I’m too young to remember it (?) but as a child, I was always fascinated by the richly embroidered dresses and colourful robes. I imagined myself wearing them.
I thought of that recently when I read again Jesus promise to the disciples between the Resurrection and Pentecost. ”Stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high”. “(Luke 24 v 49 “Arhoswch yn y ddinas eich gwisgo chwi oddi uchod â nerth “ A reference of course to the Holy Spirit, already promised to the disciples.
St. Paul expands its further in his letter to the Galatians, where he says “You are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” ( Galatians 3 v 27) “Oherwydd y mae pob un ohonoch sydd wedi ei fedyddio i Grist wedi gwisgo Crist amdano. Wow, amazing robes indeed!
We have to be careful talking of being “clothed in Christ” – it doesn’t mean we put on Christ and take off Christ at will. I like to think of it meaning that just as our everyday clothing, is the way we choose for the world to see us…so we only want others to see Christ when they look at what we are, and do. It also means , amazingly,that God doesn’t’ see us as our own sinful selves, but only as those redeemed and saved by Christ Jesus our Lord.
A modern hymn of worship by Jarrod Cooper ( 1000 in Mission praise if you want to look it up) describes how we come before God’s throne, in praise “In royal robes I don’t deserve, I live to serve your Majesty” On reflection – those robes are better than any Coronation robes.