That Ol' Trusty Apron

A handful of years ago, I visited my aunt and uncle for Christmas. As soon as I arrived, I headed to the kitchen and asked how I could help. My aunt handed me an apron, and I smiled, it had been years since I wore one. In fact, I did not even own one at the time, but I have since been gifted two aprons, making this tradition feel even more personal and special.

As I put on the apron, I thought of my grams, who often wore one, especially after church. Aprons were practical back then, protecting good clothes from cooking stains; I suppose they serve the same purpose today. But they were used for much more than that.

I found a passage on AppalachianHistory.net that described some of those uses:

It protected Grandma’s dress and doubled as a potholder for hot pans.

It dried children’s tears and cleaned ears.

It carried eggs, chicks, and garden vegetables.

It dusted furniture in seconds and called the men in from the fields when dinner was ready.

It’s hard to imagine anything replacing the apron.

According to Wikipedia, the word "apron" comes from old French "napron," meaning a small piece of cloth, which over time became "an apron."

I couldn’t help but think of the apron as a reminder of the heavenly robe that Jesus offers to cover us.

The Bible tells us that even our best deeds are like filthy rags. “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment…” Isaiah 64:6 ESV

We are stained by sin, and there is no way to clean ourselves. But Jesus can. He offers us an apron; His robe of righteousness.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewel.” Isaiah 61:10 ESV

Christ removes our sin-stained clothes and replaces them with something far better.

“And the angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him.’ And to him he said, ‘Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” Zechariah 3:4 ESV

No matter how many times I have fallen, when I ask for forgiveness, it is granted, instantly! It is true for you too!

Our sins are erased, as far as the east is from the west. I love Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” ESV

God wants to wrap His robe of righteousness around us and forgive us. This gift of grace is not just a one-time event; it is a continual offer of mercy. Every time we stumble, He is there, ready to clothe us anew with His forgiveness and love. No matter how far we fall, or how stained we feel by our mistakes, His forgiveness is always available. His forgiveness is as boundless as the east is from the west.

As we accept his forgiveness and embrace his ‘apron’, we are then called to live in a way that reflects His grace, sharing that same forgiveness with others.

This ‘apron’, His robe, is a symbol of His unwavering love, an invitation to walk with Him in peace, knowing that our sins are erased and we are made whole in Him.

"'Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.'" Isaiah 1:18 ESV

by Jeanette Stark – Wednesday, February 5, 2025