And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes

Before moving on in Exodus 19, I want to highlight a couple of further things in the text at which we looked recently. First of all, this bit about the clothes wash!

Someone pointed out that clothes speak of intent. For example, if you see a woman in a bridal dress you know she intends to marry; if you see someone in a football kit you know they intend to play in a match. This theme of washing clothes is one we can follow through in the Bible, and we find it in the New Testament as well as the old. It reflects an intention to live as holy a life as possible.

The holy life does take intentionality.

John Stott writes about Ephesians 4, and Paul’s teaching about a new set of clothes:

“Then we must actively cultivate a Christian life. For holiness is not a condition into which we drift. We are not passive spectators of a sanctification God works in us. On the contrary, we have purposefully to ‘put away’ from us all conduct that is incompatible with our new life in Christ, and to ‘put on’ a lifestyle compatible with it.” (Italics mine).

PRAYER: Lord God, if holiness is to be pursued, help me to go after it with all my might, even as I lean on your strength.