What Keeps The Martyr Humble!!!

What keeps the martyr humble!!!

Breaking News!!! Auction results are out!!! The gorgeous navy blue suit our Honorable Prime Minister wore to receive US President Barack Obama went under hammer on 20th Febraury 2015. With feisty bidding, diamond baron Lalji Patel owner of a Diamond Manufacturing Firm-Dharmanandan Diamonds in Surat- stamped his ownership on the same which has the PM’s full name- Narendra Damodardas Modi- embroidered into the pinstripes. After this high-profile auction Mr Patel’s prized possession was brought in a procession to Dharmanandan Diamonds factory at Gotalawadi in Katargam, Surat.

While it is indeed in order for the entire Dharmanandan Fraternity to be justifiably proud about having this prestigious dress in its possession, let’s turn our spotlight now on a totally different type of a garment albeit of immeasurable value which enhances not only the “Feel Good factor” of its wearer exponentially but guarantees eventually the concerned individual the priceless Eternal life. Let the Prophetic Scripture which speaks about the Song of a forgiven sinner of the Church age take over…

“I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has …arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness…” –Isaiah 61:10.

For better understanding of the subject –Robe of Righteousness- here comes this message “tailored” by Yours Truly all for the Master’s Glory using the following sub-headings…

GRACE…

What is this robe of righteousness if it is not the very presence of God’s own Holy Spirit. When it is “with us”, we get “Righteousness” meaning a “Right standing” with God. Ah…Lalji Patel, while posing for his photographs with the Modi mannequin incidentally said, “Now, I could touch and feel the fabric and experience the presence of PM Modi standing by my side."

While it cost a hefty sum for Mr Patel to become proud possessor of PM’s pulchritudinous apparel, it is purely out of Almighty’s grace that “Robe of Righteousness” is given to an individual absolutely free of cost who comes seeking the right relationship with the Divine Redeemer. How? Read on…

GRIMY…

First things first. Being related to our original sinning parents –Adam and Eve- all of us are born with“grimy attire”, so to speak, the one which is totally unacceptable to the Holy God. Whilst being alive (Heb 9:27), we need to be “robed with robes” worthy of entering the Divine, Holy presence, otherwise we would not only be left alone in this Cursed World (Gen 3:17/Rom 8:19-22) to fend for ourselves (hmmm…living without God in this big bad World is really a frightening proposition) but also be condemned and cast away permanently from His Holy Presence at death.

A Disclaimer here please…the Sovereign, Almighty Creator does not give His priceless Robes of righteousness to everyone but reserves the right to grant the same to only those who approach Him for them on His terms. And why not? For He has paid a “heavy price” to give it to us in the form it is now!!!

When He says, “Come to me replacing your grungy clothing with clean ones’ of infinite value, I myself shall provide for you free of cost”, we need to listen and obey Him implicitly. What happened to the poor man of unkempt clothing who participated in the Royal wedding without wearing clothes (befitting the occasion) provided to him free of cost by the Regal Host (Matt 22:12)? Let not our end be like his.

ILLUS...Whilst on the subject of clothing…Dr Ravi Zecharias came up with a true witty story of a New Zealand Shepherd who was happy on a Christmas morning, sad in the afternoon but once again happy in the evening. What exactly contributed to his mood swings? Here goes…in the morning two of his ewes’ “A” and “B” gave birth to two lambs “a” and “b” respectively which brought joy to his heart understandably as his flock-size grew. However by afternoon he was sad and confused not only because one mother ewe “B” and one baby lamb “a” had died but also because surviving mother ewe “A” was now refusing to feed suckling lamb “b” when the latter was brought to it for feeding. By evening the Shepherd was smiling ear to ear because finally “A” accepted “b” but only after the Wise Shepherd had cut the skin of the dead lamb “a” and had put it on “b”.

Father God also accepts us only when we come to Him clothed with Holy robes of His Sinless Son Jesus Christ who died on the Cross giving us access to the same (2 Cor 5:21/John 14:6).

GREAT…

The clothes of Salvation is Biblically called Great (Heb 2:3) by the writer of the Epistle to Hebrews because amongst other things, it is not only free (none needs to dole out 4.32 crores for it), it is not only easily accessible (as close as our own hearts and mouths-Romans 10:8-10 TLB) without any need to travel say a 1000 kms from Surat to Delhi but primarily because it cost our great Saviour (Titus 2:13) a great price to give it to us in the form it is now. The Epistle Writer goes on to warn “How can we escape, if we ignore this great Salvation” (Heb 2:3) for it would mean we are treating the immeasurably great sacrifice of Christ as nothing.