Old or New?

Down & Dirty's Mayhave Monday:

I have this old shirt. I got it during my first year of college. It's your typical "COLLEGE" t-shirt. You wear it to the games, or on the weekends, or around campus. Believe me when I say it is the most comfortable T-shirt I have ever had. I kid you not. I, in fact, wore it so often that it now has holes and fray-ings all over it. For some strange reason, I cannot bring myself to throw it away. I was cleaning out my drawers the other day, filling up the good will bag and came across the shirt. I stared at it, thinking to myself "I wish I could still wear this." I didn't throw it away. I folded it back up and placed the holey, faded t-shirt back in its spot. Today I am asking myself what is so significant about that old t-shirt? Why am I hanging on to it? Here it is:

I want to pass the holey t-shirt down to my kids one day. They will probably want it. I'm totally kidding. Although I did use this excuse in my head to try and justify not throwing it away!

Here it really is:

Old T-shirt has been through a lot. I have put her through a lot. I wore her during the darkest time of my life. She experienced drinking binges, hangovers, and sleepless nights. And then experienced regret, disappointment, disobedience, and forgiveness. Poor thing, you'd probably be a little frayed on the edges too. Maybe I keep the shirt as a reminder. Maybe I, somewhere in my subconscious, have a desire to put the old shirt on again. The old self. It's so tempting, with her bright color and soft self. But, and yes, there is a but, when I go dig in that drawer, and pull out old t-shirt, I always see how battered and bruised she became. I see how battered and bruised I became. How spiritually "tossed" around I was. How I was becoming more "holey" not "holy". So I will keep old t-shirt in her spot. She will remind me when I am tempted to slip her on again, "I aint so pretty, and I aint so comfy, what with the holes and all... I might let in a draft. You won't be protected anymore if you slip me back on. " But she will also serve as a reminder of grace, forgiveness, redemption. A reminder that when you’re in your darkest hour, all holey and not holy, God reaches out His hand, dusts you off, patches you up, and offers a gift so sweet, it’s indescribable. A new self. Clothed in Righteousness.

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. Romans 6:6

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Ephesians 4:22

Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Colossians 3:9

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. Romans 6:18-19

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10