The Red Dress Project

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Kirsten Holmberg, and I titled our reading, The Red Dress Project. The Red Dress Project was conceived by British artist Kirstie MacLeod and has become an exhibit in museums and galleries around the world. For 13 years, 84 pieces of burgundy silk traveled across the globe to be embroidered upon by more than 300 women and a handful of men. The pieces were then constructed into a gown, telling the stories of each contributing artist, many of whom are marginalized and impoverished. Like the red dress, the garments worn by Aaron and his descendants in the book of Exodus were made by many skilled workers. God's instructions for the priestly attire included details that told the collective story of Israel, including engraving the names of the tribes on onyx stones that would sit on the priests' shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. The tunics, embroidered sashes, and caps gave the priests dignity and honor as they served God and led the people in worship. As New Covenant believers in Jesus, we together are a priesthood of believers, serving God and leading one another in worship. Jesus is our High Priest. Though we don't wear any particular clothing to identify ourselves as priests, with His help, we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Exodus chapter 28 verses 1 through 8 and 40 through 41. Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eliezer and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron for his consecration so he may serve me as priest. These are the garments they are to make, a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so they may serve me as priests. Have them use gold, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen. Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen, the work of skilled hands.

It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners so it can be fastened. Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it, of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen. Now picking up at verse 40. Make tunics, sashes, and caps for Aaron's sons to give them dignity and honor. After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them, consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. Let's pray. Please clothe us, Jesus, in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Kirsten Holmberg, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.