Naked

I don't know about most of you but I have some very fond memories, mostly fond anyway, of my grandparents. My dad's dad, Papa (southern pronunciation is Pawpaw), was an interesting fellow. I don't remember him being really very talkative around me. There have been a few things he has said over the years that have stuck with me though. One in particular that kinda popped into my head this morning after I got out of the shower. Somehow, and I have no idea how this subject came up in conversation with my grandfather, the subject of being sans clothing came up in conversation. He gave me some good home-grown wisdom that still makes me smile to this day. He said that there were two forms of being without apparel. There is naked, which is not having any clothes on. Then, there is nekked, which is, and I quote, "not having any clothes on and being up to somethin'".At any rate, this conversation of being naked kinda struck a chord with me this morning because of some things that have recently been going on in my journey with Jesus. I began to think about Adam and Eve in the garden. According to the Bible, after eating from the tree, they realized they were naked and hid from God when He called for Adam. I think there is something to the fact that He called for Adam and not Eve but that is another subject for another time. So, God is walking in the garden, probably wondering, although knowing, where Adam and Eve were and calls out to Adam. He asks, "Why were you hiding?" Adam replies, "Because I was naked." And, from that moment on, mankind has been trying to hide our nakedness, our vulnerability from God and everybody else. Why? Because satan tells us we are guilty and that guilt breeds fear, vulnerability...we are naked.And yet, I kinda think that's really the point, isn't it? The Bible says that before we were born, when we were formed in our mother's womb, He knew us. When God created everything in the world, He looked on it and said it was good. So, if He knew you before you knew you and He said it was good from the beginning of time, why are we afraid to be naked to Him? It brings to mind some of the disciples. I love these guys...what a bunch of idiots, a pack of lovable losers that remind me of all of us. I know Jesus got pissed at them sometimes, the Bible says he did. But, despite that, He loved them. They were naked before Him because He was God and He knew them before He called them, before they were even born. I find that thought to be so poignant when Jesus looks into Peter's soul, saw him naked despite his bravado and said 'you will deny me'. When Nathanael met Jesus, Jesus called him a "true son of Israel and an honest man". Nathanael was like what, how do you know me? And Jesus said, "I saw you under the fig tree before Phillip found you." Put yourself in Nathanael's place for second there. I would have just stood there with my mouth open probably. Or said something stupid like, "Dude, you're good." And, the most astounding one of all...Judas. Jesus knew, God knew what Judas was going to do when Judas was born. Yet, He loved Judas. Think about that...seriously.I love the fact that Jesus knows me so well that I can be naked and not be ashamed. I think the mark of true friendship, true love is when you can be who you are, vulnerable and naked, and be loved anyway. Jesus loves us in that way....amazing love! How can it be?


Last night, I stood naked
under a clear moon, bare
before silver, washing Light.
You are near, always in
my thoughts, a constant Love
that cannot surrender...
Pleas of ecstasy,
chants of dreams
crash through my heart,
tearing my soul with the beauty
of remembered Touch,
the agony of separation.
Washed pure my love by
the blood of Choice,
the cost of Sacrifice.
That God would create
a Love before time,
an embrace of Grace
poignant beyond words...
Last night, I stood naked
under a clear moon, bare
before Your love,
weeping at the wonder of it all.