“She made me do it, that’s why….”, “Ya, but he made me do it first, it’s not my fault.” Sound familiar? Take a moment and read: Genesis 2:25 - Genesis 3:13.

In case you’re wondering, shame and blame didn’t start on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook! When you read the words of Genesis it is clear that the shame and blame game goes as far back as the Garden of Eden!

That being said, I think Genesis 2:25 is a very important verse. It reads, “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame”.

In this last verse in the Bible, before we step over into the fall of humanity, we learn that God’s intention was that we were never to feel the burden of shame. We, created in the image of God, were never to know the feeling of shame.

God did not create us to hide from who we are.

God did not create us to feel wrong about sharing our true self – or becoming vulnerable (naked) – in front of one another.
It was never God’s intention that we would have to hide our real self from anyone, especially God.

This lie of shame was introduced by the evil one himself. In Genesis 3, Satan (dressed in snakes’ clothing) strategically plants the seed of doubt in Eve’s mind by asking, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” .

Right from the start, he comes at us with seeds of doubt and a twisting of the truth. As soon as Eve was deceived by the lie of this crafty serpent and took a bite of that forbidden fruit, shame fell on her.

Genesis 3:7 states that after choosing to disobey God, Adam and Eve immediately had their eyes opened and saw their nakedness. The result of realizing their vulnerability was an immediate desire to cover themselves up and hide from God.

This is shame.

Shame tells us that God couldn’t or wouldn’t love us the same if we make a mistake or fall short of His glory.

Shame convinces us that there are just certain things you can’t share with others.

Shame tells us that we have to keep those dark thoughts secret, withhold telling the whole truth about our sin, or hold close the pain of that abuse within the spaces of our heart. Shame keeps us isolated. Shame says that we will never really be free.

But what’s so important to remember is that SHAME IS A LIE OF THE ENEMY.

There is nothing true about shame. There is nothing of God in the secrecy that shame wants us to keep hidden. There is nothing good in shame or in anything that comes from it.

It is time to lay shame down.

I love what Psalm 34:5 says, “Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame.” NEVER.

You are the son or you the my daughter of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

you are called!
you are chosen!
you are redeemed!
you are loved!
you are a child of God created in His image!
you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you!

The greatest thing you will ever truly know, on this side of eternity, is who you are in God and in that there is NO shame.

Receive it.

Believe it.

See you Sunday!