12.19.17 Prayer Prompt: The Age of Innocence 

PRAYER PROMPT ••• Genesis 2:25 says, “Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.”
The age of innocence lasted for a brief moment in the big picture of humanity.
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, before they succumbed to temptation, they were innocent.
By the next chapter, they were sewing fig leaves to cover themselves (Genesis 3:7).
Since we have inherited the disease of sin that originated with Adam and Eve, have we ever really been innocent?
At what point in our childhood do we lose our innocence and is it possible to reclaim it?
Innocence is, of course, the absence of guilt.
But if sin originates in our hearts, can any of truly claim innocence?
Jesus said in Mark 7:20-23, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
From within.
Out of a person’s heart.
Vile and evil thoughts defile you.
It’s enough to make even the most stubborn person stop and swallow hard.
Since sin originates from our very thoughts – none of us can truly claim innocence.
We have a brief window of time in our lives before we can understand and act on willful defiance (picture a foot-stomping-two-year-old saying, “No!”).
But going back to the question I posed earlier, it is possible to reclaim our innocence?
Romans 3:23 says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Only Jesus lived an innocent, guilt-free life.
1 Peter 2:22 says, “He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.”
Our hope for renewed innocence isn’t feasible without Christ.
As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
Through His sacrifice, He’s removed our sins (1 John 1:9).
We’re guilty, but we’re redeemed (Ephesians 1:7).
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for His perfection and willingness to be the sacrifice for us, so we may come to the throne cleansed, and without shame.