Jeremy,

I liked this and the other forwards you sent.



JulieMelton
visit me at
www.heart-and-music.com
Keep smiling!





>From: Jeremy Gilley <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Electronic Church <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: The Robe
>Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 21:12:07 -0400
>
>The Robe
>
>My old white terry cloth robe is almost like a second skin to me. Each
>night I remove it from my closet and wrap myself in the worn white
>fleece when I step out of the bath tub. I wear it again in the morning,
>while I sip my first cup of coffee and delight in the beauty of the day
>God is unfolding for me. This robe is tattered, torn and frayed. It has
>been washed and bleached so many times I can't remember, and it is sewn
>here and there to hold large rips and tears together. I keep it because
>it is comfortable and I am always relaxed and feel good when I wear it.
>
>Today, as I snuggled into it, I thought about a robe which Jesus wore.
>This was a flowing garment which was the usual dress for a Jewish man to
>wear in the time Jesus lived. Jesus wore one the night He shared the
>Last Supper with his disciples. We know from scripture that Jesus
>removed this robe and wrapped a towel around His loins as He washed the
>feet of his disciples. (John 13:4) He then replaced His robe after this
>job of servanthood had been completed. He wore this garment, presumably
>dry and clean as He completed his Passover meal with his disciples. Next
>He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, where the robe kept Him
>warm in the cool Jerusalem night air. He wore it during His arrest, two
>pretrial hearings before Annas and Caiaphas, the trial before the Jewish
>Supreme Court and the first hearing before the Roman authority.
>
>It was when Jesus faced Pilate for the final time that His robe must
>have been removed. The flogging Jesus endured was excruciating, as
>lashes were inflicted upon His bare back with a terrible leaded whip.
>The blood must have flown freely from the gashes and wounds on His body.
>The crown of thorns the soldiers thrust and pushed upon His head caused
>more blood to drip. Roman soldiers mocked Jesus by placing a royal
>purple robe around His battered and bruised body, saying "hail, king of
>the Jews". His original robe must have been placed upon Him before He
>made the walk, carrying his cross, to Golgotha. I am sure there was no
>comfort in His robe now, as the material made contact with bruised and
>lashed skin. It must have hurt terribly as the soldiers peeled it from
>His body before they nailed him to the cross. And after He died, the
>soldiers cast lots for this special robe, for they did not want to tear
>the seamless garment.
>
>When I put on my robe tonight, I will remember Jesus and His robe, and I
>will be eternally thankful for the sacrificial gift He gave me.