Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:7 NIV)
I have a reoccuring nightmare. I’m a little ashamed to admit it. In the dream, it’s always Sunday morning. I stand up in front of church to preach my sermon, and then I suddenly realize something: I don’t have any clothes on. None at all. It’s a ridiculous dream. It would never happen in real life. And yet, I can vividly feel the feeling I get in that dream as I stand naked in front of church: Ashamed.
When Adam and Eve sinned, the sky didn’t suddenly turn dark. There were no visible signs that any change had taken place. But that couple immediately realized what they had done, because they felt like they had never felt before: Ashamed. For the first time, they realized they were naked. It was still just the two of them—a husband and wife. And yet everything had changed. The world was a completely different place. All because of that one awful feeling they suddenly experienced: Shame.
I bet you know that feeling all too well, don’t you? You don’t need silly nightmares to feel ashamed. What memories still turn your face red? What sins from your past still make your stomach churn? How often have you wished you could just disappear? But you can’t! Shame is an undeniable sign of our sin.
Adam and Eve tried sewing fig leaves together, but that didn’t take away the shame. Just like you try to make excuses. You pretend it didn’t happen. You tell yourself that everybody’s doing it. And yet, in your heart is that crushing feeling: Ashamed. What can possibly take that feeling away?
Jesus. He once stood naked in front of a crowd of people. Only for Jesus, it wasn’t a nightmare. It was real. Jesus hung, stripped and beaten, on the cross. The soldiers and people mocked him. Even God the Father turned his back on him. You want to talk about shame? Imagine Jesus dying on the cross.
Do you know why he did it? To take away our shame and our guilt. Fig leaves don’t cover sin, but Jesus’ blood does. He faced the shame of the cross so that you never have to feel ashamed again. Your sins are forgiven. Your guilt is gone. No more fig leaves. No more excuses. Instead, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Dear Jesus, thank you for taking away my shame. May I never be ashamed of you. Amen.
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