Do Not Be AshamedSample

Sin leaves us ashamed

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.” (Ezra 9:6)

Yesterday, we read in Genesis 2 that Adam and Eve felt no shame. In the next chapter, however, we read how they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. They said this was because of their nakedness, but God knew the true reason for this sudden change: “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (Genesis 3:11).

Yes, they had, and now they felt guilty about their disobedience. They realized that they had offended their Creator by doing the one thing they were not allowed to do: eating the fruit of one particular tree in the garden of Eden.

This justified feeling of shame in front of God has severely impacted our relationship with Him. For not only Adam and Eve sinned, but we all do, and therefore we all have good reason to “be ashamed and blush to lift our face to Him”, as Ezra phrases it.

Do you realize that you have offended the Lord God? Are there some particular sins that you feel deeply ashamed about? Do not wait to confess them in order to receive forgiveness and to be liberated from your shame! (1 John 1:9)