Month: December 2022

In an attempt to keep things PG 😁, as well as leave no room for unintended interpretations, here’s an explicit contextual definition of the term nakedness as it applies to the scope and entirety of this blog.

Nakedness – to be weak or weakened as a result of a lack (or lacking something); the state of being vulnerable or insecure (having no covering); to be poor (lacking in one way, shape, or form) and thus needy – in need of a type of covering. To lack and thus need God.

Now that we’ve covered that, I’m just going to flat-out say it: we are all naked

There … I said it! BUT guess what? As shameful and uncomfortable as it feels, God intends our nakedness for good – one involving an exchange in which God gives us beauty (His Glory) for our ashes (the uncomeliness of self) .

Prior to the revelation that inspired this write-up, the last conversation I recall having with God about nakedness took place last year. It was one in which He encouraged me to come to Him as I was (and still am) – naked and vulnerable. I had seen something about me that was un-God-like … putting it plainly, I saw my nakedness. Before my natural inclination to hide from God could set in, using the story of Adam and Eve, God helped me understand that He saw me before I saw me. Same as with Adam and Eve, He always knew that I was naked. He never didn’t know. Matter of fact truth, He created me, Adam and Eve, all of us (we – the people) that exact way!

The intent of this blog is to share what God recently taught me about nakedness – particularly, what our response to it should be, and a few related illustrations indicating the importance of this response.

I’d like to start from one of my key take-aways from last year’s conversation with God on the subject: God created us naked and He called it good! Genesis 1:31

Translation: God created us weak, lacking, and needy. This is a VERY good thing.

Here’s one set of Words out of God’s mouth that underpins this truth:

As with all things that God created, our nakedness serves a function – to display the glory of God and, with it, the privilege to KNOW GOD.

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While God’s glory is intended for ALL to see, know, and experience,our nakedness was/is intended for God’s eyes only(as is the case between a man and his bride). ONLY God’s eyes can see the beauty of the perfect sacrifice that our nakedness (weakness, need) really is. ONLY His heart can respond with the LOVE that evokes the beauty within – The Glory of God is our beauty. Isaiah 60:19(AMPC)

As enabled by the HolySpirit, I’ve come to learn that: by design,mankind was NOT intended to see nakedness(ours as well as those of others). To elaborate more on this, I’ll be sharing two supporting events, and a third one to emphasize how we should respond to nakedness if and when we see it.

Keep in mind that although these events refer to a physical (bodily) form of nakedness, they each translate to the contextual definition mentioned above.

EVENT #1: Genesis 2:15 – 3:7
Adam and Eve did NOT know that they were naked UNTIL they (we) disobeyed God (sinned) by eating the forbidden fruit. Prior to this point, we were covered by God’s glory and had not yet fallen short of it –Romans 3:23. We became aware of our nakedness AFTER we sinned. That we initially did NOT know about or see our nakedness is an indication that we were not meant to see it.

EVENT #2: Genesis 9:18-27
Noah had too much to drink. Yup, the very same Noah who walked closely with God (Genesis 6:9VOICE), the very same man God would not let go of and as such didn’t completely destroy all living thing on earth (Genesis 6:8VOICE) – this very same Noah was drunk and passed out naked. Ham (his second son) saw Noah in his naked (vulnerable) state and told his brothers (Shem and Japheth) about it. In response to this, Shem and Japheth covered their father’s nakedness. It is important to note that Shem and Japheth did this by deliberately positioning themselves in a way that prevented them from seeing their father’s nakedness (Genesis 9:23 VOICE).

This event reinforces that mankind isn’t meant to see nakedness, not only because of how Shem and Japheth positioned themselves but also (and more so) because of the series of subsequent events – (A) Noah prayed that Canaan (Ham’s son) will be a slave to Shem (and Japheth under Shem’s tent) – Genesis 9:24-27 … (B) God honored the prayer.

The latter (B) part is what I want to emphasize … you’ll see why in a minute.

In praying that Canaan will be a slave to Shem, Noah indeed prayed that Shem will own Canaan (a slave owner owns the slave) – this very prayer translates into the same eternal promise that God unrelentingly commits Himself to (even now). Let me quickly explain with a family tree …

Canaan became and is the people/land of Canaan that God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants – Genesis 10:15-17, Genesis 15:19-21– yup, the very same Canaan! A promise that God has bound Himself to and intends to continually keep in every iteration there is and ever will be!

That God eternally and fully backs (honors) Noah’s prayer, which resulted from how his sons responded to his nakedness, is another indication that we were not meant to see nakedness … we naturally can NOT handle it with the required care.

Sooooo … here we are,having sinned(since and many moons after the forbidden fruit was barely digested), we consequently see nakedness–What then are we to do now?

The answer lies in the above two events, as well as a third. #TwoandaThird 🥰💖

EVENT #1 – God covered Adam and Eve’s nakednessGenesis 3:21

EVENT #2 – Shem and Japheth covered Noah’s nakedness Genesis 9:23

Let’s take a quick look at EVENT #3, after which we’ll go into why we should cover/clothe the naked (along with a couple practical examples).

EVENT #3: Ruth 3:1-4:22
Ruth was a widow and a foreigner – she had no right and as such no claim to the land she was in. She was poor, needy, vulnerable – essentially, she was naked.

Here’s another person who was naked (vulnerable) – Boaz. He, like Noah, was drunk and passed out outside (he was not in the security of his room or house). Unlike Noah, Boaz was covered but no less vulnerable – his nakedness could very well have been exposed (Ruth 3:7). Yet, Ruth did not expose his nakedness. Uncovering just his feet indicates (among other possible things) that she was in a position to take advantage of Boaz’s vulnerable state and capitalize on it – she was in a position to expose Boaz’s nakedness but she didn’t.

In turn, Boaz covered Ruth’s nakedness by marrying her. More importantly, God honored her by making her the great great great great great (many more great) grandmother of Jesus – The Redeemer and Glory of God Who lovingly covers the naked!

Considering the monumental and eternally binding way God responds to how we deal with those who are naked, it is apt to say that how we respond to those who are naked is a big deal to God, one that should not be taken lightly – this is what inspired me to write this blog. In sharing it with you, I pray asking for grace (for everyone who needs it, starting with myself) – grace tocover/clothe the naked with God’s Love (His Strength, His Glory)just as God does with and for us.

Practical Applications
Like me, have you been wronged by someone whom You’ve forgiven for the wrong they did to you but when conversations lead back to them or to a similar experience of what they did to you, (without any malicious intent) you still narrate the story or tell others about the person and the wrong they did to you?

I did … BUT God in His merciful love, showed me how this is no different than what Ham did after seeing Noah’s nakedness – telling others about it. He encouraged me by primarily showing me how He responds to the naked (even and especially me) – See Ezekiel 16:1-13. Same as He did for Adam and Eve, God clothes the naked.

What a loving encourager God is! He doesn’t just tell us what to do. He encourages us by showing us what to do … by showing us how He does it. He also empowers us by doing it for us and through us (I’m so excited to share more about this God-doing-it-for-and-through-us truth! Hopefully soon … the beauty of it lies in the Sabbath! Another blog for another day).

As the conversation continued, God also showed me how He has and continues to cover my nakedness with His Love. He encouraged me to mirror Him – that I do what I see Him do. Using my cousin’s (Midas’) words, I thank God so much for His response of grace and mercy to me – Ham had a different (even yet merciful) fate. PS: God is merciful, everything He does is merciful. It just might not fit into our limited (boxed-in) understanding of mercy.

Here’s a slightly different experience from mine – in this scenario, you weren’t wronged but (instead) the person in question did something wrong – something unjust or unbecoming. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT covering the person’s nakedness in this case is NOT to mean that you ignore it, condone it, or sweep it under the rug. Absolutely not! Like Shem and Japheth, when a person acts nakedly or is naked, we are to address it. However, we are to do so gracefully, mercifully, compassionately … Godlikely (same as how God does it)! Respond with grace, mercy, compassion based on the wisdom God gives you. If you don’t know how, ask Him for wisdom.

WHY is this important?
Well, there’s the part thatGod takes it to heart and seriously. Also (and equally important), there’s a link between the naked and God – whatever we do to the naked is the same as doing it to God!

Finally (and MOST important), there’s the incomparably priceless privilege of knowing God– the WHY behind everything God does! The seed, root, and fruit of everything God does – that we may know Him. He is our greatest and ONLY true GAIN. Oh that we would press in to and be eager for God-Knowledge!Hosea 6:3

God does not despise our nakedness – He made it exactly as it is for His glory. When we cross paths with a naked person – someone in need either by way of lacking sustenance (i.e. food, shelter, means of well-being etc.) or by way of lacking godly judgement (i.e. wrong-doing, short-coming, etc.), do NOT look at the person or situation through the lens of yournaked eye… do NOT disclose or expose their nakedness. Instead, look at the person and situation throughGod’s eyes… apply God-given wisdom and respond with Grace – the Strength of God’s Love …

… cover their nakedness with God’s Glory (LOVE) – His Glory is our greatest good.

The same is true when we see our own nakedness – our shortfalls, flaws, weakness, incapability, any form of lack. Do not hide from God like Adam and Eve did. Remember, God saw you before you saw you. Go to him and let Him cover (clothe) you with His Strong Love (His glory).

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