June 16, 2011 - Genesis 3:21

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21.
In this picture of God clothing Adam and Eve with the hides of an animal, we already see God at work in showing His grace and mercy toward humanity. Adam and Eve blew it in a big way, and God’s discipline had to be carried out, and, in covering Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness, God had to sacrifice an animal’s life. This sacrifice of an animal to cover the man and woman was a foreshadowing picture of the perfect sacrifice that was to be made on Calvary in order to cover humanity’s sin.
In the story of Adam and Eve, it is easy for me to see how we, as people, could believe that we have to work hard to prove our worthiness to God. The man and woman were expelled from the Garden and commanded to work harder than ever to survive. Guilt and shame at what they had done could easily have driven Adam and Eve to try to earn God’s favor again. In clothing them, God was showing Adam and Eve that there was nothing that they could do to earn God’s favor again and that He was providing another way.
In my life, I have had a difficult time receiving God’s grace. I have always attempted to find a way to please God through my actions. I am continuing to learn that God has already fashioned skins to cover me. There is nothing that I can do except receive the gift that God has given to me in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God has already clothed me.
Questions to consider: How does God clothe you? Have you tried to earn God’s favor? How did that work for you? What does God’s grace in your life look like?
Prayer: Father, thank You for clothing me and drawing me back to You. Thank You for showing me that there was nothing that I could do to earn Your favor except to receive Your covering in Jesus. Amen.