Are you protected?

"The Lord God made clothes from animal

skins for the man and his wife and dressed them."

Genesis 3:21

I can't imagine the shame and struggle that Adam and Eve had when they made the decision to disobey and eat the apple. Now, before I go on any further, drop all the "it's _________ fault" statements.

Max Lucado in his book, "The Great House Of God" shares these thoughts...

"That simple sentence suggests three powerful scenes...

Scene 1: God slays an animal. For the first time in the history of the earth, dirt is stained with blood. Innocent blood. The beast committed no sin. The creature did no deserve to die. Adam and Eve did. The couple deserves to die, but they live...

Scene 2: Clothing is made. The shaper of the stars now becomes a tailor.

And in Scene 3: God dresses them. "The Lord...dressed them."

Adam and Eve are on their way out of the garden.

They've been told to leave, but now God tellls them to stop. "Those fig leaves," he says, shaking his head, "will never do."

And he produces some clothing.

But he doesn't throw the garments at their feet and tell them to get dressed.

He dresses them himself. (read that again.)

As a father would zip up the jacket of a preschooler.

God covers them."

He does the same for me...for you.

Our difficult and disobedient nature causes to forget most of what really matters.

We can keep rules, for the most part, but we struggle with that "love your neighbor" stuff.

And it exposes us! We stand naked in the presence of a Holy God.

And, we deserve to die.

But...from the back of the room comes a voice God is familiar with.

The voice speaks the words of the Father... "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." ***

An old testament prophet may have written that years before your life was given to you.

But the one who is timeless, eternal and compassionate, borrows his Father's words and the guilt is forgiven.

Aren't you glad there's no "immediate nakedness" when you sin?

Aren't you glad that no video of your shameful choices being played for all you family and friends to view.

Why?

Because, in Christ, you are "clothed in righteousness."

That same prophet who penned the invitation to see your sins covered later writes... "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness." ****

What an amazing thing, grace.

Have a great Monday.

*** Isaiah 1:18

**** Isaiah 61:10