Three alienations: 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 ( Ephesians 2:1; Genesis 2:17).  Part of that death was of 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 there as walls of protection from each other. Lack of openness, transparency and an unwillingness to be vulnerable, is likely the first step in the breakdown of any intimate relationship. 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 show difference or 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 we don't even like. Our personalities becomes fragmented, and there is war within. This is the second alienation.  

Like Adam and Eve many of us fear God (verse 10).  We think that He is just out to get us, just waiting for us to mess up so He can condemn us. And so in a multitude of ways we too hide from Him, even denying His existence. This is the third alienation.  But God, and it's a huge 'but,' but God has provided a way to 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).  

God's unconditional acceptance and none-condemnation takes the pressure off, and gives us the freedom to change (Romans 8:1). The genius behind twelves step programs reflects this, and gives us a safe place where, again without condemnation, there is freedom to change at our own pace. Working the steps is a way of proactively facilitating the reconciliation of the three alienations. It's about bringing the Kingdom to earth in relationships.  Our part in these three reconciliations has a lot to do with taking responsibility for our part in what went wrong,  saying sorry and forgiving others (James 5:16; Ephesians 4:32).  It's also about coming out of hiding, allowing God to remove our fig leaves, extending acceptance to others, and neither expecting them to be perfect,  nor trying to fix or change them. It's about  realizing I am the only one I can change.  And that I can only do that well with God's help.

Father,  You had a plan from the beginning for reconciliation in all three areas. In fact You were in Christ reconciling the world to Yourself, not counting our sins against us.  And You have committed to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19). We ask for Help to do this,  Lord in Jesus Name Amen