Transformed

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

There is some truth behind sayings like “You are what you eat” and “You become what you behold” - the notion is that whatever we feed our stomachs and minds on will manifest in our bodies and souls. Whatever we feed, grows, and whatever we starve, shrinks. The more often we think a thought, the more entrenched it becomes in our brain, which in turn affects our perspective, emotions and behavior.

The tendency in our struggles with sin is for us to become preoccupied with what the sin is and then try to overcome it with sheer willpower. The more we focus on the sin, the more it engulfs us with guilt and condemnation. We dare not turn to God because we feel unworthy to face Him.

2 Corinthians 3 explains to us the contrast between the passing glory of the old covenant (the law) and the surpassing glory of the new covenant (the Spirit of the living God). The glory associated with the law was a passing one, because no man could live up to its standards no matter how hard he tried. This was the reason why Moses wore the veil when conveying the Lord’s commandments to the Israelites, because he not want them to see the glory on his face fading away (2 Corinthians 3:13). On the other hand, the glory of the new covenant endures, because the Spirit of the living God writes His law into the tablets of our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33).  When we are filled with the Spirit of the living God, we have the freedom to dwell in God’s presence with unveiled faces, and to behold His glory.

To behold is to contemplate and make a careful study of what I fix my attention on. Do I spend enough time studying God’s Word to truly know His heart? Is my heart broken by the things which break His? Do I pray His will into being, or am I fixated by my own agendas? Are my eyes distracted by worldly pleasures and pursuits? Am I overwhelmed by the cares of this world because I have lost the awe of God?

The good news is that when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. When we submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee (James 4:7-8).  After all, it is God’s holy presence that the devil cannot withstand. Our sanctification is the will of God (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

On its own, the moon does not emit light, but reflects light from the sun. What a comfort it is to know that it is not my own efforts, but the Spirit of the living God which transforms me into His likeness, from glory to glory. May we all reflect the light of the Son, when we behold His glory.