Tag: coat

Posted in Advent devotions

Love, hate, and a really nice coat

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Nafis Al Sadnan on Unsplash

“Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him” (Genesis 37:3,4).

Joseph’s special robe reminded him of his father’s love and his brothers’ hate. I’ll bet he had mixed feelings every time he put it on.

Many years later soldiers would mock Jesus by putting a purple robe on him. Jesus came into this world as the ultimate expression of God’s love, and yet he was the object of intense hate.

Isaiah rejoiced that the Lord had clothed him in garments of salvation and robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Paul writes, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). That outfit is a reminder of God’s steadfast love, but also a magnet for hate in this world. Jesus told his disciples, “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Mark 13:13).

Joseph is a type, or a shadow, of who Christ will be. Joseph will not only be hated, but beaten, betrayed, and sold into slavery. Through that, though, he was able to save his family. Second only to the Pharaoh in Egypt, he fed his family and kept the Messianic line alive. Jesus was hated, beaten, betrayed, and crucified. But through it all he saved his people.

The cross declares that we are dearly loved. But that truth will also bring hate. Through it all, we will proclaim Christ in our words and lives. And by the grace of God, more will be saved.

By the grace of God, Joseph’s coat gets an ornament on our Jesse tree.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

He’s my God, too

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After Elijah is separated from Elisha and taken into heaven by a whirlwind, Elisha is left with nothing but Elijah’s coat.

Now what’s he going to do? Elijah had folded up the coat, struck the Jordan’s water, and it split so the two of them could cross over. Is Elisha going to be able to duplicate that so he can go home? How exactly did Elijah do that?

It’s quiet now. The chariot of fire and horses of fire are gone. The whirlwind is gone. Elijah is gone. As he strikes the water with Elijah’s folded coat, Elisha asks, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” (2 Kings 2:14).

How do you think Elisha felt when the waters divided and he could cross over? Do you think he was surprised? Do you think he hit the water with confidence? Or was it a half-hearted “I doubt if this is going to work” effort?

I think we’ve all known men and women who seemed to be much more spiritual than us. Their mature faith, vast knowledge of scripture, amazing prayers made us feel that God must like them a lot more than us.

Elisha discovers that God’s there for him, too. I think Elisha was surprised, relieved, and encouraged when God divided the water for him to cross over. The Lord wasn’t just the God of Elijah. He was Elisha’s God, too.

It’s always a great moment when I remember that the God of all creation is my God. That the Savior of the world is my Savior. That the Holy Spirit not only dwells in the spiritual temple of God’s people (the church) but in me.

Yeah, Elijah’s God and Elisha’s God is my God, too.