In the spiritual life, we have a standing invitation to become and remain naked before God. It is the message that starts in the book of Genesis, where we see humans trying to “hide” from God because, as scripture records, “we saw that we were naked, and we were afraid.” The fear wasn’t being naked, but being naked before God. And we cannot help but wonder, why such foolishness?
We make that choice ourselves, every time we decide we cannot bear the truth, and decide to hide instead. It comes, not when we think we are above ground and on an even keel with God, but when we feel less than what we should be, and think hiding will protect us. Yet who was ever was healed by hiding? We are only healed when we stand in the light and acknowledge our very real selves.
Light and grace comes to us when we decide to be naked before God by choosing to know rather than remain ignorant, to accept responsibility instead of turning a blind eye, to acknowledge our role rather than deny our part.
Nakedness is essential to a real relationship with the Divine. It is our ability to walk with God, instead of hiding and pretending, being ashamed in front of the one who already knows. It is living in light, not in darkness. For the attempt to hide is as empty as darkness itself. It offers us nothing but the spooks of our imagination.
Let us enjoy the light by standing truthfully before God. It is only then that we will be clothed in light, a light that reveals.
The choice is ours. Will you become naked before God?
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