Anamchara

Naked Before God

I can't stop wondering about the crowd that so enthusiastically welcomed Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, only to turn against him later in the week. Not only the crowd, but the disciples themselves seemed thrown off by the events of that week, even though Jesus had told them three times of his impending suffering and death.

Then there was the young man that was wearing nothing but a linen garment. He was with Jesus, and when the soldiers tried to grab him, he literally ran out of his clothes to get away.

As I try to take in these events, I am in some small way beginning to see what was really going on. Everything the disciples, and the crowd for that matter, had been thinking, was in disarray. This good man would suffer and die an unimaginably gruesome death. For what? For my sin, that's what.

There it is - I've said it. I had a part in this whole matter.

I am suddenly faced with my own sin, and sinfulness. Like the young man in the linen garment, I am naked before God. Pride is energized when I realize what I am, and the cost that was paid for me. Do I humble myself and admit I was wrong? I hate that. All pride leaves as I agree with God that nothing good dwells in me. To be identified with Christ, I have to come face to face with the fact that sin stands in the way of God and me. And now I see that God has never taken sin lightly.

No wonder the cross is an offense. No one likes to admit they are wrong, selfish, hateful, and on and on and on. Admitting that to ourselves is like dying. Yet, that's exactly what Jesus had been trying to tell his disciples, and all of us, while he was here on earth.

To be identified with Jesus is to agree with him that we cannot save ourselves. We may like his teaching ministry, and his healing ministry, and his love. We can like all of that, and still hold on to the idea that we are pretty good people in our own right.

No wonder the crowd turned on Jesus. No wonder the world hates those who follow Jesus.

No one likes to be naked before God.

posted by Anamchara @ 5:30 AM