In today's verse 15, we're going to look at the longing we all share for intimacy without shame.

You and I were made to be fully known and fully loved.

And pursuing that sense of knowledge and love from the world has left so many of us wounded.

But the good news is that God has a path for healing, relationship, and love that's void of shame.

And wants to guide us down that path today as we create space and follow him together.

Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 20th. 20th. Our scripture for today comes from Ephesians chapter two verses four through five.

Scripture says, but God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were

dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

All of humanity is in a constant search for intimacy.

We devote ourselves to earning the affections of others, whether it be a close friend or a stranger.

We long to be loved for who we truly are, but we've also been burned by others in attempts to find

acceptance. We give our hearts to the world and hope others will satisfy our craving for

acceptance for love. And we've been rejected by the very people and systems in which we sought satisfaction.

Still, we press on.

We mold and reshape ourselves.

We change our image or personality.

We project who we think we should be instead of who we are.

We project who we feel others want us to be, believing the lie that who we really are isn't enough.

And all the while, we long to be fully known and accepted. We long for intimacy

without shame. This depiction holds true for all of us, because all of us have been affected by

Adam and Eve's original sin.

It was imperfection that they chose sin over unfettered, boundless relationship with the Father.

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