As You Are

In reading the book of Genesis, especially in the middle portion of the book, I'm struck by a theme: deception. Both Abraham and Isaac lied about the fact that they were really married. They did it because they were afraid. Later, Jacob lies to Isaac about his true identity in order to get the blessing. The tables get turned on Jacob as Laban lies about who he is giving to Jacob as a wife.

But what is interesting is this idea of not presenting who you really are. Why is that? I think that deep down we are ashamed of who we are before God. We want to put the best face forward, we want to justify ourselves, we want to hide the truth because we are disappointed in who we are.

We think that if we get ourselves to looking good that God won't see the real person. How foolish is that? God knows not only what you say and do, He knows what you think and even the intentions of your heart - things that many of us don't even know.

Isaiah 1:18 says “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

We don't come to God to reason with Him like telling him reasons why He should like us. We come in the nakedness of who we really are - the truth. And that's when God says "I can make you clean." He can do it through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

But don't try to lie to God about who you are. He knows you and still wants to receive you. Pretty cool, huh?

Pastor Tom