I've Got You Covered

Since this past Sunday was not only the first Sunday of the month, but the first one of the new year, I guess it was only fitting that my Pastor/husband preached from the first book of the Bible, Genesis. 

As he preached about all of the drama that ensued between the serpent, Adam and Eve, one thing that stood out to me was the mention of clothing or covering in Genesis 3:7 and 21.

After disobeying God and eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve found that their eyes "...were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves."  (Genesis 3:7)

Like many of us do today, once we mess up, we proceed quickly to a coverup.  Sadly, the coverup is often more complicated than the mistake we are trying to cover.  Notice that the Bible says they "sewed fig leaves together."  Think about it.  I'm not sure what utensils they had at their disposal for sewing, but it couldn't have been a needle and thread.  Who knows what they had to do in order to string those leaves together.  It may have taken hours of labor, and they had no pattern to follow!

Not only did they somehow rig up some unbeleaveable garments (I couldn't resist!) from the fig leaves, they also made loincloths for themselves.  Loins, of course, are flesh.  So, the assumption is that they killed animals and made clothing from the animal skins.  Again, no easy task. 

Before their disobedience to God, they were naked, unashamed and unaware of conflict and drama.  Afterward, they were stressed about being exposed, scrounging for materials to hook up fig leaves, chasing and killing animals in a place where death had not ever been experienced, and none of it was enough to hide them from the eyes of God.

Apparently all their efforts at designing clothes were in vain, for we read in verse 21 that "...the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife and clothed them."  God had to cover up those rag tag coverups that Adam and Eve craftily conjured up.

God's unconditional love allowed Him to cover them in the midst of their sin, the same way He allowed the blood of Jesus to provide much-needed cover for all of our sins.  When we sin and fall short of the glory of God, we can't look to ourselves or lean on our own understanding to make things right and we definitely can't hide from God.

Instead, we must humble ourselves and confess to God, for "a broken spirit and a contrite heart He will not despise."  And, when we come to God sincerely repenting and seeking forgiveness, the cross and the blood of Jesus are our reminders that God has, in essence, already declared, "I've Got You Covered."

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen