filthy robes

There's such an awesome picture of our salvation given us in Zechariah 3:1-4: "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?' Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, 'Take off his filthy clothes.' Then he said to Joshua, 'See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.'"

Actually, there are two great images of Jesus's work in my life.

The first is this: "Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?" What an amazing way to describe what happened to me! I was a doomed man, dead even if you believe Paul, just like a branch already thrown into the flame. I'd put myself there, right on the fire, with all of my bad choices and questionable actions. But just before I was going to be burned up, God pulled me away and extinguished the flames. He literally saved me from destruction, or more appropriately, maybe, self-destruction.

But then he did more. There's that second picture of Joshua with the dirty clothes, Joshua who stands in this vision representing all Christ's redeemed. Joshua, whose sin was peeled from him like a stinky shirt and who God promises instead to dress in the best possible wardrobe.

My life is saved. My sins aren't just removed, they're thrown away and forgotten. And in their place I get to wrap myself in Jesus' own righteousness. From now on, when God looks at me, he sees his son's robe and remembers that Jesus loves me so much he died for me. Because of that life isn't about guilt or longing anymore; life is all about love and goodness and the potential for even more.

I know it's another of those phrases used so often it almost means nothing, but this is a truly a wonder that never gets old. I'm well into middle age, I've been hearing the Gospel since I was a small boy, and it still brings tears to my eyes.

What did I do to deserve this? Nothing! What have I done in response? Not nearly enough. But none of that matters, because Jesus and the cross are sufficient to cover all of my flaws and omissions. 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!