Sunday, October 17, 2010

Naked honesty..baring it all.

Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Gen 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.


It is my contention that Adam and Eve's nakedness had very little to do with their physical bodies, but it had everything to do with their spiritual ones. Before the fall they were sin free and had no reason to hide. All their thoughts, their pleasures, their pains, it was all laid out before one another and there was no shame in them. After the fall, they had sin and a sin nature. As soon as they looked at one another they could see it. They could see their sin in one another's nakedness and so what did they do, they tried to hide. They wanted to cover that new part of them and they fashioned clothes about them to try and conceal it.

Have you ever been sharing a secret with someone that is very personal and the sharing is hard? The kind of thing that exposes you, lays you naked before that other person? Now this may just be a girl thing, or a me thing, but when I have been in that place of naked honesty, my first instict is to grab something and shield myself with it. Typically the object of choice is a pillow, or my knees, depending on the location. I want an extra layer of protection between my inner being and that other person. I am trying to cover my shame, my hurt, my open-ness.

Gen 3:9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"

Gen 3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."

 At this point I think it is interesting that Adam tells God that he is still naked. He and Eve had already covered themselves with leaves, but yet I think Adam realized that his soul was what was left bare and no amount of hiding could shield him from God.

How often do I try and fashion coverings for myself, try and hide from God? " Don't look behind this bush Lord, don't look here behind that clump of leaves. This is my nakedness, Lord. Please don't look upon it. "

Yet, God knows exactly where I am. He can see past those feeble atempts at hiding and I am laid bare before Him.

Gen 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

God knew that Adam and Eve's attempts to cover their sin would not be sufficient. It would take a sacrifice to cover them. So God provided. He covered them with that sacrifice.

As much as I try to hide, try to cover my own sins, I can't. Though I were to fashion a forest around me God could still see through it all. It takes a sacrifice.


1Jo 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.


God provided for me.  Though covered with dirt and leaves, God sent a sacrifice, His Son.  I am clothed in Jesus, covered by His atoning blood.  I no longer need to try and hide before the throne. I am covered.  Amen!



*This is not where I was planning to go with this tonight.  I had a different plan in my head, but maybe this is where God was wanting to take my heart.  To pull me out of the bushes, pluck the leaves from my hair, lovingly wipe the dirt smudges from my face and remind me that I am covered.  Though my heart aches, I am covered.  Though my mind deceives me, I am covered.  Though I struggle and still want to hide, I am covered.  I am covered.  I am covered!  Thank you Lord for your covering!*

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like you're thinking a lot about honest, what it does and what it takes and what it means. Thank you for posting your thoughts. I, too, often want to cover myself when I'm being honest like that . . . it's good to remember that He does the covering!

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  2. Interesting - Celeste just preached on this verse in Chapel last week.

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  3. WOW !! excellent points to ponder !!! LOVE it !!

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