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. – Hebrews 4:13

Today's Scripture Reading (May 11, 2021): Hebrews 4

My grandfather-in-law loved wrestling. I never quite understood the attraction. It all seemed so fake to me; the hype, the elaborate costumes, the breaking of the rules when the refs back were turned, which always seemed to be turned at just the right moment. Sometimes, wrestling matches seemed to be more of a comedy-drama than anything close to a serious sporting event.  I mean, wouldn't it have been better if it was a real competition. Someone once explained to me the reason why wrestling had to be a fake sport. The reality was that wrestling, if it is confined to the actual rules and performed in a ring as has become customary in the WWE, is a sport that two experts could extend into a very long battle. Without the cheating or a decision of who will win the match before the fight, it could take hours to declare a winner. So, we have developed the fake sport instead.

Having said that, WWE has released its best wrestling holds, and at the top of the list is the "The Sharpshooter." The hold was a favorite of Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Combining elements of the "Boston Crab" and the "Figure Four Leglock," this submission move ties up the opponent's legs in such a way that it is nearly impossible to escape. The move puts so much pressure on the lower back that it results in excruciating pain. How bad is the pain? Apparently, the pain that results from the proper execution of the hold is so bad that "Stone Cold" Steve Austin actually passed out when he found himself locked in the grip. Did that really happen? I will withhold judgment and will let you decide the truth.

The Book of Hebrews instructs that as much as we may want to hide things from God, that is impossible. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Nothing can be hidden from him. There is no sin that God does not know and no struggle of which he is not aware. We are "uncovered" or "naked," and the description is meant to echo the testimony of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, who "were both naked, and they felt no shame" (Genesis 2:25). But the other connection the phrase has with the Genesis story is that Adam and Eve decided to cover their nakedness in the moments after their sin, but their coverings couldn't hide their sin.

But the phrase "laid bare" or "open" is a unique word, used only here in the New Testament. The Greek word is "trachelizo" and describes a wrestling hold that is so powerful that it brought victory, an ancient version of "The Sharpshooter." And the idea is that not only are we uncovered in front of God, but that we also have no defense.

And yet, despite our condition, we can trust that Jesus wants what is best for us, so the idea that we are uncovered and vulnerable should not worry us because Jesus stands with us.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 5