I started an online Bible study this morning. It is written by Liz Curtis Higgs called "The Bad Girls of the Bible"...I LOVE that title!!! Makes me feel "less" bad about myself knowing that there are bad girls in the Bible!! haha Well, the very first bad girl was Eve. Yep, you read that right - Eve.
Eve had it made - handsome husband, free food, beautiful home, freedom to roam in the Garden. But she gave it all away because of one word - PRIDE. When she was being tempted by the serpent, she didn't call on on God to help her, she didn't hide in God's word and God's shadow. No, she listened. Her downfall wasn't her appetite for the fruit - it was her PRIDE. Her pride that she could handle it on her own. Sound familiar? Sound like something you may have done once or twice or a hundred times over in your life? Been faced with a temptation, an opportunity to sin - an opportunity to do something that you normally wouldn't do or you know is against the rules? You think, "God, I love you and thank you for loving me unconditionally - so if you could just turn your head right now - I got this. I'm gonna do this on my own right now".
Liz writes: When is smart not smart? When God says “don’t,” and we say “do.” When God says “stop,” and we say “go.” When God says, “I love you,” and we say, “That’s nice, but if you don’t mind, I’d like a little time off for bad behavior.” You relate to this statement - I do. I've done it before in my life - God loves me so He'll forgive me. Yes, He will - but as children of God he sets a higher standard for us to live by. He will always love us, but boy, don't you wish we thought of the consequences BEFORE we take that time off for bad behavior? So, Eve ate - and told her husband to eat and he did. And their eyes were opened - just like the serpent promised. But, what he promised they would gain was not anywhere near what they learned. He promised them knowledge - well, they got that - knowledge that they were naked and exposed. They made coverings for their body out of fig leaves - but we all know what happens when a leaf is removed from the vine of life. It shrivels and dies. Very symbolic of what sin does to us - it separates us from the living water, the vine of life. God. It causes us to shrivel and die inside. When we sin and start to feel that separation from God what happens? We feel exposed. Naked. Uncovered and unclean. Shamed. But, the hope is that just like with Adam and Eve, God calls to us. Where are you? Where have you gone? Isn't it awesome to know that God provides a way to cover our sin? He covered Adam and Eve. He clothed them in the garden - and he clothes us now. With His righteousness. With His blood.
When God calls to you, don't hide in shame. He comes in love with grace and mercy. He comes to clothe you with righteousness bought with the blood of His son Jesus. We hang out heads and say "Can you forgive me?" and he raises our heads and days "Yes, it is done". Shame is replaced with righteousness.
Where are you right now? Shamed? Hiding from God? Ashamed of something you have done? Fearful? God came looking for Adam and Eve to FIND them. Not to punish them. He is a loving father wanting to show them how much He loved them. And He is doing the same for you and me. Bet you've figured out something - we are all bad boys and bad girls. We all sin and feel shame. But God wants us to come out of hiding and feel His love for us. Listen for God's voice. Sense Him moving in your life. Come out of hiding.
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