Clothed, covered, wrapped

...for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Gal. 3.27

These words conjure up for me the most wonderful image of me being wrapped in Jesus. He covers me like a cloak. I often choose to see this as the way in which I appropriate His peace (John 14.27).

But this is even more than receiving, and living in, the peace of Christ. This is the Holy One Himself covering me just as surely as the clothes that I am wearing cover me.

Is this how Paul knew Jesus? He talks here of being clothed with Christ. Elsewhere he speaks of the fullness of Christ in us (Col. 2.10; 1.27)

Yes, yes, this is what I want – Jesus filling me on the inside and surrounding me on the outside. Paul tells me I have this. Then I shall open myself wide to embrace it. May God fill me to overflowing with an abundance of His presence.

Holy God,

I love You. I thrill at the wonder that You would bother with me. Yet Paul encourages me and assures me that, not only do You bother with me but, I am filled up with You on the inside and clothed in You on the outside.

I receive this and, furthermore, I open myself fully to You. I invite You to have Your way in me. Do with me what You will. My one desire is to please You. And yet, I realise I do not always do this. I ask Your forgiveness and help. Please convict me when I am wrong and lead me in the right. May I follow the way You would have me go.

Give me, if You will, every equipping and enabling to fulfil Your will for me, and to please You to the utmost. I ask that I might humbly follow my Lord Jesus. May I know the fullness of Your love and may I share it in abundant measure.

I ask these things in Jesus’ precious name.                        Amen.