The other day I was trying to imagine just how embarrassed I would be if all the dark secrets of my life were suddenly exposed to all the people around me. Horrific. And it got me thinking how infinitely more horrifying is the reality that God, the pure, just, righteous, holy, kind, gracious, and generous God he is, sees all those secrets anyways. How ridiculous that I’m sly to fellow ragamuffins yet naked before a perfect God.

I bring this up because the college ministry I’m involved with recently covered some scriptures that treat this exact situation.

Hebrews 4:13-16
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Though we, wretched, scared, and bashful, come before a holy God, we find he is magnanimous. And not only this, he understands.

I’ve met so many people (in the church and without) who paint for me an unfortunately murky and unfaithful image of Christ. When my sins are exposed they sometimes chew me up and spit me out, or eschew and ostracize me, or apathetically dismiss me, or ignore me, misunderstand me, gossip about and slander me, or excuse me even deeper into my sin, or feed me with useless platitudes. They do so many things. Sometimes they even encourage, comfort, and exhort me. Yet none of them ever are like Christ.

He is both majestic and meek, just and benevolent, perfect and understanding, sinless and sympathetic, all powerful and attentive.

Because he is both and not either/or, he is the single person to whom we should always go when stumbling, when sinning, when ashamed to come before the holy.