When sin entered the human race, Adam and Eve hid themselves from the presence of God among the trees of the garden. They sowed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. God called out to Adam and his response was, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

This is mankind’s dilemma: hiding from God, hiding from one’s self, and hiding from others. It is the opposite of authentic living. It is what gives the enemy of our souls the leverage he needs to weaken our resolve. The ammo in his guns is darkness; to disarm him we must live in the light.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” This is everyone’s calling and being married brings it even more up close and personal. Later on in this passage it says we are to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8) and to “expose the works of darkness.” To walk in love then, one must walk in the light.

“But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.” This is followed by a reference in Isaiah: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” If I’m not walking in love, I’m most likely living in some measure of darkness and in a state of spiritual slumber. Dullness would describe it, or in its later stages, “spiritually dead” would be the accurate term.

These principles apply to unmarried and married alike. God provides best friends and spouses to keep us awake, which is often the same as keeping us exposed. If we are “walking in the light as He is in the light, we have true, unbroken fellowship with one another.” ( 1 John 1:7 AMP ) The bonus is, that “the blood of Christ keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations.”

Keeping clean in the blood, being spiritually alive, walking in love, being an imitator of God – these are opportunities you don’t want to miss. Besides, whatever you sow together to cover yourself, doesn’t work anyway. Who wants to hide?

photo credit: Norte_it [Dario J Laganà] via photo pin cc