For His Glory: Did you know you are naked?

So yesterday, I was listening to someone re-telling the fall of Adam and Eve. I was only half-listening because I've probably heard the story at least 500 times (side note: What I love about the Bible is you can always get something out of the Bible; it doesn't matter how many times you have heard the story). Well, as I was listening, I tuned into the fact that before the fall Adam and Eve were naked and without shame. Then after they sinned God comes looking for them and says, "Where are you?" And they answer, "We were hiding because we were naked."

So what? Well think about it. They were obviously naked since day one and it never bothered God. After the fall, Adam and Eve realize they were naked and they decide to hide from Him. They tried to fix their problem on their own by making their clothes out of leaves. When God finds them, He fixes them new clothes through an animal sacrifice and sets them straight.

What does that have to do with us? Well, we really are not that different from Adam and Eve after all these years, are we? The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.

Everything is uncovered and laid bare

before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

We are still naked before God. He sees all of our sin, everyday! Yet when we realize our sin, what do we do? Like Adam and Eve we still run away from God and hide. We try to fix our problems on our own. "I can't believe I just did that! God must be so ashamed of me." [He probably is saying, "You've had this problem for the last 10 years but now that you've finally recognized it we can start getting down to do something about it]. We choose to hide in guilt shame, and condemnation. But what does God want us to do? What did God want Adam and Eve to do? He wanted them to come out of hiding and allow Him to fix the problem. And guess what, just like He fixed it for Adam and Eve, He has ultimately fixed the whole problem for us through Jesus on the cross. Read what directly follows the verse from above; it will thrill you:

Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest

who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable

to sympathize with our weaknesses,

but we have one who has been tempted in every way,

just as we are—yet was without sin.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,

so that we may receive mercy and

find grace to help us in our time of need.

I pray that we can really get this! Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He came to earth, He walked where we walked and He experienced temptation! He overcame and as our great High Priest He offers us all of Himself! Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence! Adam and Eve ran away in shame, but because of Jesus the second Adam we can now approach God with confidence in our time of need and what do we receive: mercy and grace!

So if you have found yourself down and out, stand up and approach Him with confidence because Jesus has made the way for you to come.

In Christ,