Three alienations: Three reconciliations

Then their eyes were opened they knew that they were naked,  and they sewed fig leaves together for coverings. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:7, 8). They had eaten the forbidden fruit, and were now experiencing the spiritual death God had warned them about (Genesis 2:17; Ephesians 2:1).  Part of that death was the loss of intimacy of their previously open, loving, mutually accepting relationship. Vulnerability is no longer safe in a world where you are likely to get the blame for what goes wrong (verse 12)! The fig leaves were about hiding from each other. This is the first alienation.

Of course, this side of the fall it only makes sense to be careful who,  and what, we let in. Many of us discovered even in childhood, that to be difference or show weakness invites others to bully and/or judge us. At all costs we must not appear weak. Image is everything! We use denial, and other defence mechanisms, to protect ourselves. We wear masks, Adam and Eve wore fig leaves! Conforming to the superficial values of the world, beauty, success, intelligence, strength etc., we project an image that we so often start to believe ourselves. In the process we develop a false self that we don't even like. Our personalities becomes fragmented, and there is war within. The second alienation then is from ourselves.  

Like Adam and Eve many of us fear God (verse 10). We think that He's out to get us, just waiting for us to mess up so He can condemn us. And so in a multitude of ways we hide from Him, even denying His existence. This is the third alienation. But God, and it's a huge 'but,' has provided a way to be gracious to us, so that He can be both just and merciful in reconciling us to Himself (Isaiah 30:18). God offers reconciliation with Himself as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8). We do however, need to turn from our sin (repent) and receive and believe this good news (Mark 1:15; John 1:12).  

The three alienations then are man from God, man from man, and man from himself. But God was not caught off guard by any of this. He had a plan even before the foundation of the world to affect reconciliation in all three areas of alienation (Revelation 3:18). Paul tells us that it is God's will, that in the fullness of time to unite together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him (Ephesians 1:9, 10). That last part “in Him” is not a throwaway, all things that are in Him will be united together in Christ, but only those things that are in Him!

Father, You were in Christ reconciling the world to Yourself (2 Corinthians 5:19). And when we are in Christ we are indeed reconciled to You. We have passed from death to life and will not come to the judgement (John 5:24). Then Lord because of what Jesus did, and because of Your grace, You made it  possible for us to forgive and be reconciled to each other. It's a process, but a necessary one (Matthew 6:14, 15; Hebrews 12:15). Finally Lord, and this was a process with me, we eventually get to like ourselves. It is about loving You and our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:30, 31). For these and many other things we give You thanks and praise in Jesus Name Amen