ἐνδύω

endyō

to sink into (clothing), put on, clothe one’s self

ἀπεκδύομαι

apekdyomai

wholly put off from one’s self

denoting separation from what is put off

wholly to strip off for one’s self (for one’s own advantage)

despoil, disarm

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.  They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.  They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.  But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV

God’s Word teaches me that in my accepting Jesus as my LORD and Savior, I have been born anew.  In that rebirth, I have come from the cocoon, once a caterpillar, but now a butterfly, a completely different creature.  I have new clothes.  I have a new way to be in this world.  I no longer crawl upon the ground but must dry my new wings in the warmth of God’s sunlight, spread those beautiful new wings and take flight.  I am here for a short while, but I am to spread the beauty of the LORD wherever I am., wherever I go.  God feeds me the nectar of His flowers…to be nourished and refreshed.  He has produced new life in me, being the image of Christ as I grow in Him.  I am brand new.  I am to completely put off the old Linda who is no more, and put on the Linda that God has made anew through Christ Jesus.  Oh, Hallelujah!

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.  Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:9-17

O, LORD, look at all that I can put on and all that can come off.  The character I am to live is wholly in You, my LORD.  There is nothing I can do or be apart from You, precious LORD.  Mold me and make me fresh and new, filled with the kindness, meekness, patience, and compassion that is You.  Fill me with love and peace that reflects You to this world.  I pray that I can wear the new clothes which I have been given with confidence that I am a becoming creature for You and for You alone. The world will know You by me if I live by Your will and Your way.  I pray this be so.  Amen.  

 
first photo/Scripture:  http://www.heartlight.org/gallery/383.html

second photo: (c) Linda Gill @ http://beingwoven.org