What's Your Cover? The covering of our shame for sin.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

(Genesis 3:7)

You know the story. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden and walked in perfect peace with God. They had no concept of sin, because sin did not yet exist. They had no knowledge of right and wrong because they were like children before God. They perfectly trusted and walked with Him.

But Satan, in the form of the serpent, tricked them into eating of the one tree God had set off limits: The tree that contained the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. After eating, their consciences came alive, they realized they'd disobeyed God, and they saw they were naked.

Upon finding they were naked, they sewed together fig leaves for cover and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. Metaphorically, the nakedness they were suddenly so aware of is the knowledge of sin. Likewise, all of us realize our shame is exposed before God and we are naked in our sin. We have no cloak to cover our condition.

So what is your cover? What kind of modern day fig leaves do you sew together to cover your shame and guilt? For some its drugs and alcohol. For others its a career or a pile of cash. For many its a lack of silence, a house full of loud music or blaring TVs. Anything to cover the fact that we know we are guilty.

I'm telling you that you no longer have to sew fig leaves together to cover your shame. Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, also rose from the grave to prove his message was true. You can be covered from your nakedness by the blood of Christ, shed on the cross. The blood alone is what saves us from our guilt, the consequences of our sin, and eternal separation from God.

When it comes to our nakedness, Christ offers us freedom from a shameful and guilty conscience.  Isaiah 1:18 says this: "'Come now, let us settle the matter,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'"

For those of you who have been using skimpy methods to cover your guilty conscience, today is the day you can fall into the loving hands of God and be freed from your sin and shame. Romans 3:23 says this: "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God;". That means none of us, no matter how good or bad, can escape the fact of of our sin. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."

When you sin, you are earning condemnation from a Holy and righteous God. When you sin, you are earning wages that equal eternal death. God doesn't want that for you, but he cannot tolerate sin. So he made a way to cleanse you of it and accept you forever. "For God so loved the world, he gave his only son, that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Let Jesus be your cover. Pray this prayer: "Father, I know that I am a sinner. I've sinned and broken your law. I've fallen short of your glory, and I know the payment for my sins is death. I ask that rather, I receive the gift of God which is eternal life in Jesus Christ. I repent of my sin, believing in Jesus and what he did on the cross to justify me and make me perfect in Your sight. Thank you for saving me, and help me to walk in your ways. Amen."