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The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. (Psalm 65:12-13)
We may no longer hear about people dressing in their “Sunday best.” It is a description from years past that is not often heard today. Wearing one’s Sunday best means to dress—on any day of the week—in clothing usually reserved for worship on Sunday morning. Customs and clothing change over time and, as people today gather with joyful reverence to worship, their Sunday best may look a little different than it once did.
The psalmist looks at the world God made and sees all of creation dressed—every day —in its Sunday best to honor and praise the Creator. Green pastures overflow in the wilderness. Hills rise up with joy like worshipers in a church standing to sing. Meadows already decorated with flowers and green pastures clothe themselves with flocks of sheep. Valleys are filled with ripening fields of grain that move in the wind like ocean waves. The fine clothing of creation changes with seasons. New flowers and fresh green growth in spring and summer give way to colorful autumn leaves. Even winter puts on its best in sparkling snow and ice. All of creation, day after day, season after season, is dressed for praise. Pastures, hills, meadows, and valleys rise up with songs of praise to their Creator.
When we come together each week for worship we join all of creation in praising our Lord. Clothing will differ from place to place and person to person, but our hearts are dressed by the Holy Spirit for praise. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him” (John 4:23). We have been enlightened by the Spirit through the truth of the Gospel. By the Spirit’s power we believe in that saving Gospel truth, and we gather to worship our Heavenly Father. God clothes hills and meadows and valleys for joyous worship and He dresses us in the Sunday best that only He can provide. By His grace through faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven. On Sundays and every day of the week, we are dressed in Jesus’ bright righteousness. Each of us is a new creation, called to praise our Creator and Redeemer. As the well-dressed hills and meadows and valleys shout and sing for joy, we are dressed in the righteousness of Christ, and we are ready to join in creation’s songs of praise!
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, accept my grateful praise for the gift of Your wonderful creation and, above all, for the gift of Your Son, my Savior. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
- Dressing in one’s “Sunday Best” isn’t as much of a thing as it once was. What is your feeling about how one dresses when they go to church? Has your view changed over time?
- Do you have a favorite example of nature pointing to the hand of God in its creation?
- What is the “Sunday Best” that God has dressed us in through Jesus?
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