Always were...

It dawned on me... Adam & Eve... they were always naked! Ok, a fig leaf did enter the picture but I'm talking about just prior to that. In fact, I'm not even talking about physical nakedness... rather, emotional and spiritual nakedness. Being exposed before God himself and clearly seen.

Ashley and I have two close friends whom we love dearly. Recently they've been going through some pretty rough times in their relationship and individual personal lives. They don't necessarily have the same understanding of God that we do and for well over three years we've longed for them to come out from behind the shrubs (sticking with the theme).

In the wake of life we have had amazing conversations about God, Jesus, redemption, new beginnings, and that they are loved by God through the person of Jesus. Prayer together and very confessional moments took place. Yet, a part of me kept thinking that at some point they're going to realize they're naked... we all do... and then we hide!

A few weeks have passed and they've both been a little distant toward us. Now, in no way do we personalize that because we know what's happening... it's happened to us... when we realized we were naked for the first time... we hid! You see, we were present when they allowed themselves to be free, open, vulnerable, and emotionally and spiritually naked before God. Realizing missteps had been taken and that much of what was out of whack... were consequences to personal decisions. To see them both liberated in light of taking responsibility is exactly what happens when God is involved. It's through the realization of just exactly who we are in light of who He is that we present ourselves to him... naked. Then, we realize what we did... and our shameful instinct is to hide from God becaus we've been... exposed!

This same pattern has repeated itself time and time again in my years of ministry. Men especially struggle with this as it challenges the biggest hinderance they will every face in drawing near to God... pride. For women it seems to be more of the shame and guilt that comes with the realization of having just bared one's soul. Nonetheless, we at some point have to realize that we are always naked... always have been. We're the one's that hide when all God wants is a little honesty, vulnerability, and baring of one's soul and self in the relationship. Jesus said that it is in fact... the truth that sets us free! So, come on out from behind the shrubbery!