Anchorage: The Storm of Shame | Part 8 of 8Sample

The Fall to Shame

There was no place for shame in the world God had envisioned for us. In the beginning, when man lived in perfect communion with God, there was no room for sin. But when man chose to walk away from this communion and fall to sin, he fell to shame.

When Adam and Eve made the decision to taste that forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, they had sealed the fate for all of mankind. They were the first humans to experience shame on two levels. First was the shame they felt because of their nakedness. The second was the shame they felt because of the act of disobedience. A combination of the two led to hiding amongst the trees of the garden. What began in the opening scene of humanity has carried into our daily life.

Like Adam and Eve, we also undergo these two levels of shame. When we realize that we have sinned, the immediate feeling we have is that of being exposed. We feel vulnerable. It is as if our nakedness is seen, and what we do in response is to cover ourselves. We hide behind various masks and facades, attempting to subdue the shame we're experiencing. The second thing we do is hide from God. We feel we are not worthy of being in communion with God even when He comes calling out our name in the cool of the day. We choose to hide from Him because of our shame or guilt as a result of our sins.

Just as Adam and Eve's story went beyond the hiding, so does ours. Immediately following their disobedience, God covered the shame of their nakedness by hand-making garments of animal skin.
The first animal sacrifice was actually by God for the purpose of removing shame. There were still consequences to the sin in that they were banished from the Garden of Eden, but the fact remains that God swept in to cover shame.

Does it surprise you that the storyline of our shame begins and ends with God providing a sacrifice on our behalf? The Lamb of God was sent to take away the sins of the world and obliterate the shame that comes with it. And, one day, we'll even physically step foot in the Garden humanity was once banished from. His sacrifice covers a multitude.

Reflection

Do you feel there are areas of your life that you are ashamed of? If it's a recurring sin or a past one, cling to the promise that grace is given to the humble. Write down those areas that are easy to 'hide among the trees.' Expose them to the Lord as He calls out your name, and allow Jesus to clothe you in the great mercy of His sacrifice.