What if the ‘you’ who lives deep beneath your appearance wasn’t actually hidden away by your flesh way back in the Garden of Eden? Was your flesh even noticed in the Garden of Eden to begin with? Or was something greater—more real and far more eternal— noticed by others first?
It wasn’t until AFTER the fall that Adam and Eve realised they were “naked” and then “hid” themselves. It was then that Father God said to them, “Who told you you were naked?” (Gen 3:11).
If up until that point Adam and Eve hadn’t realised they were ‘naked’, what HAD they been realising? What had they been seeing instead of their own flesh and the flesh of the other?
Appraising others by the way they physically look is a thing in our world. We judge people by what their flesh looks like and whether or not it is pleasing to the eye, but what if this is the shallowest form of “connecting” with someone? What if this way of “connecting” joins us with the fallen behaviour of the after the Garden of Eden era? What if there’s a whole other way of ‘being’?
If we originally walked in the Garden of Eden in accordance with the Spirit of God and not in accordance with our flesh, were our spirits then the first thing we noticed about one another? They must have been. In which case, were we clothed in spirit while our flesh was hidden? Instead of Spirit, soul and body from the inside out, was it body, soul and spirit from the inside out? Were we walking lights of the world unencumbered by the judgmental standards of the flesh and untainted by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
If Jesus came to ‘save THAT which was lost’ (Luke 19:10), WHAT was lost? Connection with our Father was lost. Innocence was lost. Purity was lost. Our doves eyes were replaced with appraisal, lust and the crippling unreachable standards the flesh now selfishly demands of others. “Get a nose job”, “fix your hair”, “you’re too fat, too skinny, too old, too wrinkly….” We began to assess others based on nothing more than the way their dust and water were assembled or how quickly their metabolism moved.
We are living in a time where loads of decisions are being made, online ‘social’ cultures are being created, and entire global platforms (especially ministry platforms) are being built on the things of the flesh—especially flesh aesthetics. This is not freedom. This isn’t even true humankind. We weren’t created in our own image: we were created in HIS image. The fundamental markers of who we are are not taken from who WE THINK He is; they are taken from Who HE SAYS He is. There is a vast difference between the two: the first is inspired by the flesh of humankind and the second is inspired by the God who is above every other God.
Jesus broke the flesh chains (and a whole host of other ramifications) that the fall in Eden caused. We now have access to that freedom if we want it.
Regardless of how our flesh ‘looked’ in Eden, we were made in the image of God. The Godhead said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them rule (have dominion) over…” (Gen 1:26).
Most of the time we walk the earth trying to look like each other. We try to make ourselves up in the image of trends, socialites, influencers, etc. This can become a form of slavery and grounds for judgment. For example, when you are repeatedly told that your weight gain is a deal-breaker for someone you are married to, you instantly realise you don’t measure up to the flesh system. The flesh system has judged you and found you wanting. And it always will because the flesh is the flesh.
But we are also invited to remember who we are, Who we were created to reflect, and the ONE who takes full delight in us.
You are a bright, burning flame. A beacon of light. Spirit first. Soul next. Flesh last.
Being led by the Spirit of God and allowing our spirits to engage with His spirit, automatically dissolves the chains of the flesh… we can’t focus on two things at once. Instead of willing ourselves to not walk according to the flesh, we can simply look at Him and engage with Him like we did in Eden before the fall.
Romans 8:12-17 says, “So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh, to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]— for if you are living according to the impulses of the flesh, you are going to die. But if you are living by the power of the Holy Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God. And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.”
I see you, beacon of light. I see you, authority-walker. I see you, dream-bringer. As do others. You already measure up and if someone tells you that you don’t, they are addressing you from the knowledge and flesh system. It just means they are still blind and naked. But the good news is that they can be set free too.
I want to encourage you, Dear Heart, to keep engaging with the Spirit of Jesus. You’re ‘being’ like Him and it’s beautiful. Simple. So vastly different to the world system.
You are made in His image and as you walk this earth you bring depth to shallow concepts; higher perspectives to stuck and grounded thinking; possibility to limitations; love to dark places; and you break the mould whenever it needs to be broken.
Come out of hiding, Dear Heart. You are clothed by Him. Allow yourself to be led by His Spirit. There’s nothing wrong with you. Be the originally designed You Papa created.
Creation knows the ‘real’ you. So do we.
Cheering you on
❤️
Because Souls Are Like Gardens 