You Bring God Pleasure, Not Disgust.
Here is the bottom line. It is hard for us to accept our goodness. Shame seems a better friend then our good worth. It is from the words “you are good” that we want to hide from. We run back into the arms of shame, covering our ears at God’s declaration, “You are good, my love.”
Never mind the fact that God even took it one step further, declaring his human creation (yep, we’re included in that category) to be very good. And in the beginning, we were all naked and felt no shame. And then we messed up. And we hid. And we labeled our “nakedness” as bad. And we were afraid. And God said, “Who told you you were naked?” And God covered our nakedness and shame. And we keep running and hiding and declaring to ourselves and to others that we are naked and unclean.
We are the ones saying to ourselves, “Shame on you!” But God keeps on saying, “Love on you! Grace on you! Peace on you!” Every time he sees us he says, “Do not be afraid. You are loved. You are special. You are cherished. You are mine. You are good, and with YOU, I am well pleased.” Not just kind of pleased or partially pleased. But fully, 100% well pleased. Not always at our thoughts or behaviors, but with US, as his child, we bring God pleasure.
Did you read that? You bring God pleasure.
And we are already saying as we read this, “But I’m…” Naked? Wicked? Depraved? Worthless? Shameful? And God replies, “Who told you you are naked, wicked, depraved, worthless, shameful?” (He doesn’t ask us for his sake, as if he doesn’t know who told us those things, but for our sake so we can identify the source and nature of the lie). And we have to come to grips that we tell ourselves those things. We have to relive the words of our imperfect parents, and punk friends, and hurting spouses, and full-of-fear colleagues who declared and spoke those identities into us. To say these hellish declarations did not originate from God, but originated from within us and from other creatures who believe the same lies about themselves.
And it gives God an opportunity to cloth our shame with his love, with his embrace, with his words, declaring, “You are very good.”
So next time you look into the mirror and want to say, “Dammit, here I am again.” Don’t. Instead, take that moment to listen. Take that moment to repeat what you hear, “You are very good.” As you put on your clothes to cover your physical nakedness, picture God clothing your shame with is love and embrace.
And most of all, remember, you bring God pleasure, not disgust.
And so does your neighbor and enemy.
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