NAKED BUT NOT AFRAID

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love

Perfect love has the capacity to drive out fear. Perfection in this context refers to full grown or complete love, in other words an increased understanding of love. My mind is cast back to the scene of the fall in Genesis, and Adam’s response when God called out to him after he had eaten of the fruit: “And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Gen 3:10)

Those words contrasts with the revelation of God’s love as seen in the story of the prodigal son. While Adam went hiding, this son returned to his father, and guess what, his father was waiting for him from a long way away. You may know him as the young man without boundaries, who boldly asked for his share of inheritance before his father died, but here is an interesting fact: while Adam associated God’s presence with impending punishment, the prodigal thought of acceptance, even if as a servant.

He was more perfect in love than Adam was. Beloved, ‘perfect love’ or ‘mature understanding of God’s love’ is to picture a life that bares it all before Him. Simply put “naked but not afraid”. Here, one’s limitations, weaknesses, or faults do not become a reason to hide from God, but the force to present yourself before Him. Besides, God knows what covers your nakedness best [the fig leaves Adam sew as cover was replaced with skin].

The love of God does not provide us with ‘a get out of jail card’ that reinforces a lascivious way of living, far from that. Instead, this love made evident in Jesus, serves to provide us first with an entry point to present ourself before God naked and without shame, knowing that his response will be acceptance.

#sly