Have you noticed that in the Bible, when people run there is something going on? A bigger statement is being made. For example. Peter ran to the tomb when Jesus was risen and Elijah outpaced the chariot. It is more than just ‘they are in a hurry.’
What does that have to do with destroying shame? We can cling onto the fact that the Father ran to us! His running to us undoes the power of our shame, meaning we can run to him. We can approach God with our shame, because he does not see us through the shadow of our shame. Like the prodigal, we need to make that journey home; the Father will see us approaching and come running to meet us. Shame is destroyed by authenticity and by love. We need to raise the bar in these two areas to remove shame from our culture. We have to raise the bar in being real.
Every provision has been made for Jesus to return for a spotless, pure bride. He created a pathway to God where nothing needs to be hidden – a new and better way. The old way was to cover-up; the new way is confession – which is authenticity. The old way was to appear flawless; the new way is to be made flawless. The first Adam covered himself to hide his nakedness; the second Adam uncovered himself and made himself naked. He saw how we had covered ourselves, and he took our shame upon himself to remove the need for us to hide anything from God.
Shame is anything that prevents us from being or seeing ourselves as God made us to be. Shame always comes from lies and seeks to separate and trap us in isolation. It keeps us from the fullness of who God has made us to be. The call and anointing on our lives is never meant to be compared to anyone else; but is to be drawn from God. Shame blinds us to our own value and how God values us as well as what he has put within us. Walking in shame will hinder our destiny, which is why overcoming shame is key in stepping fully into what God has for us.
In the kingdom there is no second-class; we are all joint-heirs with Jesus who surely would be first-class! He bore our sorrow and our shame so that we don’t have to. Face the Father today, and let him speak to your shame. Isaiah 61:7 says that the kingdom payback for shame is a double portion. Instead of shame the Father wants to run to us, embrace us, throw a party for us and celebrate us!
This post is part of a series called Towards a United Kingdom, which can be purchased in audio or video format here.
