Richard’s Remarks
Different holidays bring about a variety of memories. Each individual will have his/her own reflections and recollections from the past. Various families have their own “traditions” that have probably been repeated for many years. Some traditions span throughout the extended family while other traditions are enjoyed within individual households. Often times though, there are some common denominators that seem to “stand out” with each holiday. I would venture to say that one of the common denominators for the Easter holiday is...clothing.
I remember the routine. “Stand up straight. Scoot over a little closer. Look at me. Smile.” And then there would be the blinding blue flash from the camera that would render me legally blind for the next 30 seconds or so. It was Easter Sunday and my brother and I had just been forced to try on our new clothes and pose for the traditional picture (even though we were much more interested in sorting through the candy and toys the Easter Bunny had graciously left for us).
With Easter’s approach, the Spring clothing lines are in full swing at the stores. We’ve moved from the darker colors of winter clothing into the bright and vivid colors of the new season. As God’s creation begins to give us renewed displays of color, the stores’ clothing displays then follow suit (pardon the pun please). So it seems that the colorful clothing culminates on Easter Sunday.
Amy and I have personally left the “new clothing tradition” behind us. We rarely purchase new attire for ourselves. However, even without any new additions to the closet, we still search out something a little brighter on Easter Sunday. However, the tradition still remains intact at our house. For, those same words of familiarity still ring clear - “Stand up straight. Scoot over a little closer. Look at me. Smile.” But now, it’s Delevan and Kayla’s turn to dawn their new clothes and endure the traditional holiday photo.
In the fact that we have our clothing, whether new or old, let us always be mindful of God’s care for us. “And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith” (Matt 6:28-30)? It is amazing to consider how God provides for that which He has created! In response, let’s “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing... Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Ps 100:4,6).
Yet, with all of this “talk” regarding clothing, we haven’t talked about the most important clothing of all. For that discussion, please come back for the sermon next Sunday morning. Lord willing, I’ll address that important topic then.