Soul Praise! – No Shame!

While living in South Africa I have picked up a phrase many people use. The interesting thing about the phrase it can mean something good or something bad, it is all in the way you express yourself as you speak it out.  So you can see a cute little baby and say, “Awe shame what a beauty!” Or someone could not being feeling well or had a bad day, and you respond, “Awe shame man, that’s too bad!”

I have been accustomed to the phrase and find myself using it when back in the States. So when watching my almost 3 years old grandson I’ve used it a few times and he has picked it up. The problem is my daughter is a counselor and “shame” in counseling is a big issue that many people deal with.  So needless to say grandpa has to watch what he is saying when watching the grandkids.

And my daughter is correct “shame,” is a word that signifies a battle that all of us face. This warfare in our soul goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. The moment our first parents sinned they felt deep shame, so much so they hid from the Father while He walked through the beautiful sanctuary calling out for his children. For the first time in their lives Adam and Eve felt naked, exposed, dirty, and the they resorted to hiding from their holy and loving Father.

Over the centuries we have learned how to be good hiders. We do everything we can to conceal our dark side from God, ourselves, and others because of the pain of shame. We use multiple ways to hide from it but however we try it pops up and beats us back down causing us to live in bondage. Shame is one of the tools the enemy uses to destroy our soul.

Last week I challenged you to add “soul praise” to your season of lent.  To listen to the Spirit calling you from Psalm 103 to –

“Praise the LORD, O my soul and all my inmost being praise His holy name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul and forget not all His benefits.”

The Father Forgives all your sins…” (vs. 2) What an amazing benefit! He goes head to head attacking shame. When the Father found Adam and Eve hiding in their shame He came with grace and forgiveness and covered their shame by sacrificing the life of an animal to cloth their nakedness and to take away their shame.

This benefit points ahead to the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, who took on our sin and shame by dying naked on the cross in our place. Notice the verses says “all your sins…”  He didn’t die for some of your sins but for every sin you have and will ever commit. Later the text says – “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities..as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (vs. 10,12) 

The enemy likes to shame us and tell us God doesn’t forgive nor forget our sins. So when we mess up again and feel shame it is tempting to hide from the Father. We don’t feel worthy to pray, reading the Word or worship. I beg you not listen to these lies, instead immediately run back into the loving arms of your Abba Father. Confess your sin and praise Him for the gift of His Son who already paid for it and it is remembered no more.

Spend some time letting your soul praise Him today for the power of the Cross and the gift of forgiveness. And shout out to the enemy, “There is no more shame!”

“There is now no condemnation (shame) for those who are in Christ Jesus!” (Romans 8:1)