Lent, a Season of Hope: Preparing Our Hearts for Easter, Day 11
1 Peter 4:10-11:
“ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”
From my early childhood, I had fashion sense. It’s not surprising considering my own mother’s sense of style and skill as a seamstress and I was only too happy to emulate her style as well as to model her amazing handmade creations. Her sewing talents were on full display one Easter Sunday when she fashioned for me an adorable pink Dotted Swiss number, adorned with lace trim and crinolines filling out the skirt to give it flair. I loved that dress, so much so that I announced to my mother my plan to wear it on my first day of third grade at a new school. As the saying goes, “One never gets a second chance to make a first impression,” and that was my intention! Mom wasn’t convinced it was appropriate as it was my “Sunday Best” dress, but I lobbied hard and she finally gave in. And so on that day, off I went with an air of confidence, feeling high on fashion, ready to take on Mrs. Hart’s third-grade class in style!
Traditions come and go and it saddens me to see the habit of wearing our Sunday best to church has gone by the wayside for many. The intention of wearing our Sunday best was not to buy something we couldn’t afford or to show off our fancy clothes but, rather, it was to wear the best of what God had provided to honor Him on His day. These days there is a sense of freedom to go one’s own way with one’s mode of dress and that is fine but I still prefer to dress up a bit.
My desire as a youngster to wear my Sunday best on an ordinary day begs a broader question: why can’t our Sunday best be our everyday best? Why do we save our best for Sunday—our best behavior, most earnest prayers, our offerings, our expressions of love, reading of scripture, singing of praises, and communion with the Father—for one day of the week? Is the Lord not worthy of our time, our extra effort, our devotion the other six days? Certainly, Sunday is the Lord’s Day, a day set aside to “keep Holy,” to worship Him, to rest, refresh and even celebrate. Sundays are deserving of our best for His sake but let us not reserve our best just for the Sabbath. Our scripture verse for today encourages us to use whatever gifts, words, service, and strength every day, not just one day a week.
Whether it’s using our spiritual gifts in serving a hurting friend, comforting a widow, giving generously or worshipping the Lord, let us give our very best every day, in His name and for His glory. Jesus is worthy!
Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for the Sabbath and the rest it brings in our busy week. We long for the refreshment it promises but often we choose to forsake it for another activity. Convict us of that foolishness. Help us also to adjust our attitude and put on our “Sunday best” to be the hands and feet of Jesus not just on Sundays but every day. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.
