Passage of the Day: 2nd Corinthians 3: 18 [see in bold] … 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect [or “contemplate”] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
My Journal for Today: Though today’s verse is from Paul’s teachings in 2nd Cor. 3: 18, and I give you the contextual passage from which it’s taken to help you understand the imagery of our being unveiled in God’s New Covenant so that we can be “transformed” into Christ’s likeness.
This transformation process, of course, is called sanctification, which is a progressively humbling and awakening experience in our lives life after conversion as a Christian. It is the process by which God, the Holy Spirit, reveals more and more of the reality of Christ in our being. It is the specter of growing newness also revealed by Paul in 2nd Cor. 5: 17. It is the opportunity we have, with God’s Spirit planted in our heart, to make choices which allow us to morph into Christlikeness. Now, … is that not wonderfully cool?!!
As Paul refers in today’s passage, it’s like looking at our reflection in God’s mirror of truth, which progressively reveals our unworthiness; and yet, at the same time, we see, excitedly (I hope for you as much as for me), more of what is wrought by the Spirit’s transforming grace as He molds and completes us into our predestined image of Christlikeness (see Romans 8: 29 and Phil. 1: 6). Just as in the allegory of The Ugly Duckling, one day (which will be in glory) our ugliness will be completely transformed into the beauty and full grace of the swan we desire to be and were created like in God’s image, and that image we are predestined to become … i.e., the image of Christ.
I hope it’s as exciting for you as it is for me, as I look into God’s mirror of truth (i.e., His word) day-by-day … to see more and more of Christ’s beauty being shaped into my countenance. The reshaping process is certainly not all that easy; but it most certainly is worth it! It’s as John wrote (see 1st John 3: 2), “ …now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known." Though we don’t exactly know what we’ll look like in our spirit-body (see 1st Cor. 15: 42 – 49), we do know that somehow it will reflect Christ’s image; and that’s good enough for me to have heightened hope in what God, the Holy Spirit, is doing in shaping my life – now and forevermore in this live – and the next.
How wonderful is the transforming power and grace of the Holy Spirit!
My Prayer Today: O Lord, shape me into Your image. Amen
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