CLOAK OF LOVE Before Adam and Eve sinned, they needed no clothing; after they sinned, they couldnt get dressed fast enough. They hid in the bushes and set about the task of making a wardrobe out of fig leaves. They craved protection. God had warned them, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even tough it, or you will die (Genesis 3:3) Of course the one tree they were told not to touch was the one they couldnt resist, and the fruit of the tree permitted a slew of unwanted consequences. Adam and Eve who once knew no shame, now felt nothing but shame. Hence why they hid and sewed fig leaves, but the covering was insufficient. What protection is found in a fig leaf? Adam and Eve found themselves vulnerable, wounded by their sin. But what did God do? Hadnt his law been broken? Is there some way that righteousness can coexist with kindness? Do you want to see how God responds to our sin? The LORD God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them. (Genesis 3:21) God slays an animal. For the first time in the history of the earth, dirt is stained with blood. Innocent blood. The beast committed no sin. The creature did not deserve to die, Adam and Eve did. The couple deserve to die, but they live. The animal deserves to live, but it dies. Clothing is made by the shaper of the stars and God dresses them. He doesnt throw the garments at their feet and tell them to get dressed, He dresses them himself. Love always protects. Hasnt God done the same for us? We eat our share of forbidden fruit. We say what we shouldnt say. Go where we shouldnt go. Pluck fruit from trees we shouldnt touch. When we do, the door opens and shame tumbles in, and we hide and sew fig leaves. We cover ourselves in good works and good deeds, but one gust of the wind of truth and we are naked in our own failure. So what does God do? Exactly what he did for our parents in the garden. He sheds innocent blood, He offers the life of his Son. From this sacrifice the Father takes a robe, not the skin of an animal but the robe of righteousness. He doesnt throw it in our direction and tell us to shape up, He dresses us himself with himself. You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27) Adam and Eve did nothing. They didnt request the sacrifice or think of the sacrifice, they didnt even dress themselves. They are receivers and so are we. You have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. It was not the result of your own effort, so you cannot brag about it. God has made us what we are (Ephesians 2:8-10). We hide, He seeks. We bring sin, He brings salvation. We try fig leaves, He brings the robe of righteousness. He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding, like a bride dressed in jewels (Isaiah 61:10). He will command his angels to guard you (Psalm 91:11). God protects you with a cloak of Eternal Love, hold it deep in your heart, it belongs to you!
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 12:55:50 +0000
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