Not ashamed

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:25 (NKJV)

We see a fascinating detail in the Genesis record of the first marriage. After God brings Adam and Eve together as husband and wife, the Scriptures tell us that they were both naked but weren't ashamed.

There are a couple of layers of significance here. First, this is a setup for the stark contrast we see once sin enters into the picture. When sin became part of the equation, Adam and Eve lost their innocence, became ashamed of their nakedness before God, and tried to cover and hide themselves from Him (Genesis 3:7, 10).

But there's another level of symbolism here, one that points to the sense of intimacy and security that God desires within marriage. He intended for the marital relationship to be unique and special—something that can't be replicated or reproduced in any other relationship. And it is, because it's the only relationship in this life where a man and a woman can be naked without feeling any sense of shame. This is reinforced for us in Hebrews:

Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)

In other words, a husband and a wife don't need to be ashamed about their sexual intimacy. They, and they alone, have the ability to be naked with each other without experiencing any sense of disapproval in God's eyes. What's more, it's the only sexual bond that doesn't defile or damage the participants.

That's a powerful statement in this day and age of casual sex. Marriage possesses something so pure and so positive, something that can't be copied, cloned, or counterfeited no matter how hard people try. God has given mankind the gift of sexual intimacy, but it's a gift that can only be rightfully received as the Giver intended within marriage.

Think about it…

What does this passage reveal to me about God? 
What does this passage reveal to me about myself? 
Based on this, what changes do I need to make? 
What is my prayer for today?

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