God's Hope for the Ashamed.

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and he clothed them.

Genesis 3:21

My five-year-old son and I were on our way to swimming lessons.

I wanted to prepare him for what he might see in the men’s locker room. “There will be some naked guys when we go in to put our suits on,” I said, “so be ready and try not to stare.” He thought it was hilarious. Just hearing the word “naked” gave him the giggles.

In the Scriptures however, to be naked isn’t so funny. It has deeper implications. When the man and woman ate from the tree which God had commanded them not to eat, we read, “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” (Gn 3:7). In other words, shame and disgrace filled their hearts. They tried to cover themselves and went into hiding from their Creator.

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Do you ever feel like you are trying to “cover your nakedness”?

Does shame keep you from letting others know you as you are? Does it ever seem like it is easier to remain in the darkness of hiding rather than to come into the light and be exposed?

If so, you are not alone.

Eventually, God showed mercy to the man and woman and he covered their nakedness. “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and he clothed them” (3:21). God saved them from the trouble of making excuses. He rescued them from the darkness of hiding. God covered their guilt and shame. The only question is, where did he get the skin? Presumably, an animal died instead of the man and woman so that God might cover their nakedness.

This act of God foreshadowed the cross where Jesus, having been stripped of all his clothing, bore our sins in his body on the tree.

“For the joy set before him Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame”

Hebrews 12:3

And as the Resurrected One, he is clothed with glory and majesty. Turn to him and be healed. Let Jesus cover your nakedness with his forgiveness and grace. There is no need to hide. Rather, “wake up sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:14).