Awake, awake,
clothe yourself with strength, O Zion!
Put on your garments of splendor, Isaiah 52:1a
In Isaiah’s apocalyptic vision, Jerusalem is required to put on beautiful clothing.
The word splendor in Hebrew is tipharah, and it means beauty, glory, honor and excellence. Our clothing matters, but our character, our inner soul matters first when getting dressed.
Once a connection is made in spirit we can be obedient to a higher call to beauty and to a vocation that serves others.
Clothing is a necessity, but the greater gift is one that satisfies the hunger and thirst of our souls. Our clothes should delight us. So much so that we place them on our body and immediately forget about ourselves. In his article, Designed for Significance, Joshua Becker reminds us that…
We strive for security. We long for love. We hunger for happiness. And we desire lives of significance. We want to know our lives counted for something—something bigger than ourselves.
Over 20 years of working in client’s closets, I’m more convinced than ever that our clothing matters because we matter. We reflect His creation, and we are commanded to care for it. Both the world and its people. THAT is something bigger than ourselves.
As we admire his handiwork, let us consider our service, our vocation. Maybe we need to awaken and clothe ourselves in a beautiful fabrics and at the same time ask how can I be clothed more like you, Lord? What garments, what action and what service do you require of me?
