Clean Garments

Read: Zechariah 3
“1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.” Zechariah 3:1

Examine:
In the verses that follow this one the scene plays out like a courtroom drama. Joshua, who represented God’s people, stood clothed in filthy garments and was being accused by Satan. Jesus stands up and rebukes satan. He did not argue with satan about the guilt of God’s people. He did not pretend the garments clothing Joshua were not that bad. He called on the graciousness of the LORD and then the most amazing thing happened; the LORD gave Joshua new garments.

Apply:
There are two main thoughts for me from this passage. First, my freedom is not found in justifying my behavior. I have to hate my sin and recognize even the smallest of slips as being worthy of death. This is not to add to my guilt; the only way to appreciate my redemption in Christ is to hold the weight of my guilt. My freedom is in Christ; not my arguments.

Second my garments are clean. I am not just a sinner saved by grace. I am a man with no history of failure. It has all been done away with and there is never a voice of accusation that can stand against me. The sins of my past, the sins of my present and the sins of my future were all taken away the instant I surrendered my life to Christ.

Pray:
I have an accuser and I have an advocate. Both of these voices are real and both voices are active in my life. I have to choose which one I want to believe. Today I choose to press through what I know to be my failures and accept what You have said to be true. I am clean. My garments cannot ever be stained again. My accuser has been silenced and my faith has been sealed. I am forever Yours. I pray that the freedom given to me will become my greatest treasure, my loudest song, and the possession I share the most.