From glory to glory

There are verses in the Bible that are so packed with layers and layers of meaning, that we need to read and re-read them to find the treasures they contain. This is one of them!

But we all – We are ALL invited to have glorious fellowship with God. All of us. Not just the privileged few. Paul’s sweeping statement includes us with him in what he is saying here, despite the fact that many of us tend to think that he represents a super-elite type of Christian, one with whom most of us certainly feel we cannot compare!

with unveiled face – Paul writes elsewhere that the gospel is covered with a veil to those who are perishing, for Satan has blinded the unbelievers’ minds so that they cannot see the truth and Light of the gospel. But the moment we turn to Christ, that veil is removed. We now no longer need to cover our faces as in ancient days the slaves had to do before appearing in the presence of a king; there is no need to hide who we are or what we have done. There is no barrier between us and God anymore.

Beholding … the glory of the Lord – this is more than a casual glance, it is to make a careful study.  It surely means a daily looking, searching, sensing, being aware of Jesus. Being conscious of His presence; perceiving His truth in my mind; feeling Him in His love in my heart; being in contact with Him in my spirit. And then seeing, as John says, His glory when He lived among us, as manifested in His grace and truth, His loving heartfelt words, His perfect deeds, how His will was completely subjected to God, how He displayed what a faultless and complete human being looks like.

as in a mirror – we behold God’s glory as mirrored in the person of Jesus Christ and the Word. We must now mirror our Saviour to the outside world, displaying His characteristics.