Does the thought, “we are naked before God” make you uncomfortable? The truth that God knows our every thought can honestly make us a little squeamish.

Sometimes I entertain thoughts of jealousy, revenge, self-promotion, intolerance. Can God hear those thoughts and still love me?

When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, they walked around naked and free. Oblivious to their exposure. They experienced no shame.

But after their snack, suddenly their eyes were opened and shame entered their hearts.

Their first response was to cover. God’s response was to restore.

Their response was to hide. God’s response was to seek.

Adam and Eve could not bear the shame. So in their feeble attempts to cover up, they sewed fig leaves together. Growing up, I had a fig tree in my backyard. I know from experience, fig leaves are itchy and gummy. In their attempts to cover up they only made their situation worse.

But God stepped in and provided a better covering, animal skins. He has provided us a better covering as well, robes of righteousness. We are covered by the blood. Because of the atoning work of Christ, shame and guilt are no longer emotions we carry. We can now stand boldly, naked and exposed before our Heavenly Father, knowing we are forgiven, accepted, loved.

Unlike Adam and Eve, when we mess up, we don’t run from God, we run to Him. His arms opened wide. His forgiveness flowing freely.

So if the thought of standing naked and exposed before God makes you squeamish, imagine Him covering you with robes of righteousness. Imagine Him smiling and whispering, “You are forgiven.” Imagine Him restoring the years of bad choices, hurts and pains.

Perhaps, the most beautiful, the most liberating, the most comfortable place to be is standing naked and exposed before God.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬