Let's all live in a nudist colony, no more worries about what to wear and cover up. Ok ok that is a bit extreme and I am totally kidding, yet if it were up to Nick, he would never wear clothes, ha! Back to the point, it all started in the garden, Eden, everything was perfect. We were meant to be naked, yes you heard it right, no clothes, no walls, no boundaries, no shame, no fear, just you complete in Christ. Think about it, "And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed," it says in Genesis 2:25. The Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, our God created us to be in relationship with him, unashamed until Satan came as a snake and Eve listened to him instead of her Abba. From then on, they were covered and ashamed and it was destined for each person from then on.
So God saw this, but come on, God saw this coming, he knew it would happen, he knew that sin, this ugly thing that we live in now separated Adam and Eve from God. They were kicked out of the garden. Now, for generations until Jesus, the Lamb of God, died for us, everyone that wanted to come to God to talk with him had to go through a priest, who did a sacrifice and many other cleansing rituals.
Now for today, we were meant to be naked right, I would have loved to be Eve, not having to stress over every day what to wear, whether I look fat, whether I am in style or fit enough. This is what I constantly stress about, covering up what God has made me to be with so much STUFF! In the beginning, Satan came as a snake, he is the father of lies, and he comes in so many forms today, speaking lies in every avenue of my and your life. Lately it has been the lie of having this pinterest perfect home, complete with the latest furniture, the latest art work that is put on the walls the way that article said to. I am sooooo frugal, yet I am almost willing to go spend money on things for my house that will eventually go out of style, but more importantly they will stay hear, "where moth and rust destroy." Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be hospitable, but where is your heart, I am asking myself everyday, who are you trying to impress, will you be more loved when people see your house all done up like that beautiful one on Pinterest? NO! Will the Gospel be shared, be seen, will my God be glorified in all the stuff I store up here instead of storing up treasures in heaven, no. (Matt. 6:19-20)
Another struggle in my life has been looking pinterest perfect. Let's be honest, who in the right mind would pin all these incredible desserts and fattening recipes then pin this skinny, ripped, big-boobed girl with the caption "that cookie doesn't taste as good as skinny feels." COME ON!!!! I lived in a community where mostly everyone dressed the part, stressed about every ounce, every calorie, every hour they work out and how many calories they burned. I was sucked into that, I used to totally stress, and sometimes still do. I love this post from Ann Voskamp, I love this line,“The curve of a smile is a
woman’s most perfect curve and the only tag that matters is the one that says
Robed in the Righteousness of Christ. It may not be easy to be a woman in this
world. But it is always perfect to be a woman in His hand."
Then in church this morning, we were singing "You're
Beautiful" by Phil Wickham, one of my favorites, and God kept saying to me
"You sing that I am beautiful, Caitlyn you were made in my image, so why
do you bash and criticize every part of my beautiful art work?" Ladies, here it is, you are so beautiful, no matter the size on
your jeans, no matter the number on the scale, because what is true beauty is
fearing God! "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who
fears the Lord is to be praised." Let every person who comes across your
path, who sees your smile, see Jesus in you and not you. Let them see that
Christ is the reason you live, the reason you feast on the true bread of life,
the reason you breathe, you move, you worship your creator.
We are here for such a short time in comparison to eternity; we
may have one opportunity with this person. But we are, including myself
totally, missing it, we are clothing ourselves with things of this world, we
are clinging to the sins of our past, we are ashamed, or we are putting up
walls between us and God or others because of so many insecurities. Listen,
children of the Living God, Christ has redeemed you, if you have declared him
as your Lord and Savior. Why are we walking around clothed in the world, not
living naked with the righteousness of Jesus covering us? He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth, he gives us the strength. When we continually seek his face about all things in this world, Psalm 27:4 says it all. "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple." Lord this is my prayer that I would hunger and thirst for things of you more than any thing in this world. We love you Abba.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10
-Caitlyn
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