If you are just joining the unDEFILED movie blog, you should know that we are on a journey – a journey from brokenness into redemption. But in these early blog posts, we are closely examining the origins of that brokenness. An understanding of origins is essential! Why is that, you ask? Simply because the sin that manifests itself is only the FRUIT of that brokenness. It is never the ROOT of that brokenness! To extrapolate the root, we must understand origins.
When we left off last time, we could almost visualize Eve, making a conscious decision to extend her arm toward the forbidden fruit. Interestingly, this was an appeal to the flesh, and she based that decision on a subtle lie; the first recorded lie in the Bible. That lie was: GOD IS NOT GOOD. The ramifications of that lie are at the root of all sin, suffering, and brokenness in the world today. If God is not good, we must look elsewhere to find our best life. If God is not good, we must search in a different place for a purpose. If God is not good, it is incumbent upon us, and us alone, to decide the best paths to take in life.
But that lie spawned another even more heinous one.
Enter lie number two: YOU CAN HIDE FROM GOD. The immediate consequence of Eve's taking of the forbidden fruit and sharing it with her husband was SHAME. We tend to think of shame and pride as opposites. They aren't. They are simply two expressions of brokenness. But Adam and Eve hid from God. How fascinating that this should be the first effect of the first sin!
It didn't work. It never works. Nicodemus was hiding under cover of darkness when he came to Jesus in John 3 (pride). The woman at the well in John 4 was hiding from Sychar's other women in plain sight at high noon (shame). Jesus saw right through both of these attempts at hiding and saw straight down to their brokenness. Isn't it interesting that the first thing we do when we fall into sin is to hide from God? And, not only Him, we hide from our spouses. We hide from our pastor. We hide from our employers. We hide even from ourselves by dulling our consciences. How is that working out for us?
Prayer Focus: Tell the Lord today that you agree with the psalmist in Psalm 32 who said, "I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden." (vs. 5a) "You are my hiding place You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance." (vs. 7)