5-19-2016

       Good Morning All!! 

             Genesis 3:7; “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

    Just like that; just that quick innocence was lost.  Yet something far more profound is occurring in this verse.  The verse immediately preceding this one tells of Adam and Eve eating the fruit they were supposed to leave alone. The most immediate effect of sin was and still oftentimes is- shame.  Shame is a destructive guilt inducing reaction to an event.

   Even as many parents, teachers, coaches and other authority figures will often use shame as a method of encouraging or inducing proper behavior; the vast majority of psychologists will tell you that you cannot shame someone into better behavior.  Shaming another person only leads to guilt, feelings of inadequacy, loss of worth and a belief that they are unworthy of love.  Shaming leads to guilt- period end of discussion.  This is why the devil introduces us to shame at an early age.  When we feel shame we go right to guilt and the devil loves for us to feel guilt.

    When you think about it, why do most people avoid personal confession of sins to another person?  Chances is are, we feel shame admitting that we look at pornography on the internet, or have lusted after a friend’s spouse, or thought some very unkind things about a fellow Christian.  We don’t want anyone to know how we really are.  So we hide, or try to, just as Adam and Eve did.  We pull something on to cover our shame and then we hide so no one can find us.  Then as we hide, we cower, afraid that someone will find out that we really are naked and full of shame.

    Perhaps the greatest shaming is what we do to ourselves.  The devil and the world will help by pointing out our flaws but it is our sinful nature that gets the “shame walk” on the move.  We beat ourselves up and decide that we are unlovable and without hope; just where the devil wants you to live.

   Yet God comes looking for you just like he did Adam and Eve and he comes to you as a loving father looks for a lost child.  He calls out your name inviting you into the safety of his loving arms.  He invites you to feel the warmth of his love and the comfort of his mercy.  He invites you to find rest and peace in his arms; a place to lose your shame.  God knows what you did and he loves you regardless of what you did.  Yet God is not about your past; he is about your future.  He forgives your past so that your future is bright and filled with hope, filled with his grace. 

    The world wants to fill you with shame but God wants to fill you with his love.  This is a love that can move you to love others, but above all, to love yourself.

Father, free me from my shame.  Fill my heart with your incredible love.  Fill me with your Spirit that I might be cleansed of the pain of shame.  Heal my soul, refresh my spirit, lift me from the pit that I may see your face.  Show me your kindness with no end.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret