Genesis 3:6-7 KJV
(6)  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
(7)  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

How much time is consumed with making sure we’re all covered up, and at what point does this consummation conceive and grow to an obsession?

There is a certain member of our family (the name is withheld for reasons of domestic unity) that at a young age didn’t seem to be at all aware that nakedness might be an issue. By just running fast enough it was thought that nothing would be seen and there would be dashes through the front yard and living room at times when guests were visiting. Thankfully modesty set in and the flashes were subdued, but there was something precious about that period when clothing was optional, because for the years that have followed taking care of self in all the ways that are necessary has become a necessary obsession for that family member and all of us who are living in public. That period of time when all was provided for of what might be considered a part and necessity of living was short lived. Self consciousness took over where total abandonment once reigned and the need to conceal, please, improve and instruct became a self responsibility where it had once been a total dependency.

It’s interesting that the three things listed as reasons for partaking of the fruit (good for food, pleasant to the eyes, desired to make wise) were all things that were surely being provided by God in the garden. They had an ample supply of food that was good to eat, an abundance of beautiful plants and animals, and the best instruction from God, their Father. Somehow, though, in a world where total abandonment had reigned and clothing was optional, self consciousness took over when they chose to take on the responsibility of providing these things on their own. With this self- obsession came a separation from the provision that had come from their Father and the total responsibility of caring for what He had once completely cared for. By choosing to disregard the instruction and provision of their Father, they chose to do it themselves, thus taking on self-consciousness over God-consciousness.

I believe this is what Jesus was referring to when He spoke of becoming like a child- that there must be a loss of self in a realm of abandonment to the provision of God, that responsibility for obtaining all those things that are needed to cover us, fill us and inform us must be given over to Him. It’s like Jesus came to take us back to the garden, where there was complete and total God consciousness with no need to hold anything back from His complete care. This, then, is our opportunity and our privilege this day- to remove all and release all to the all seeing and all knowing of our Father, to all that we could desire and require to come directly from Him. Rather than taking the burden and the responsibility ourselves and spending endless hours and energy trying to produce them ourselves, we can work under His direction and counsel following His way and totally released from concern or worry. Where there may seem to be no way or where another way may present itself, there can be an assurance and confidence in a consciousness that has been removed from self and given completely to God.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 am and is filed under Confidence, Nourishment, Provision. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.