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- Apr 25, 2006
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25 June 2008
Word on the Web
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
We have this hope, so we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a covering over his face so the Israelites would not see it. The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end. But their minds were closed, and even today that same covering hides the meaning when they read the old agreement. That covering is taken away only through Christ. Even today, when they read the law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds. But when a person changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord's glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
"...even today that same covering hides the meaning..." - one Bible commentator suggests the Israelites of St. Paul's day understood their Scriptures as little as their ancestors did - they remained satisfied with the external, ritual and ceremonial without digging deeper and asking the real meaning of the old system. Another commentator points out they imagined the Old Testament to be the final revelation of God. Paul and John argue all the Old Testament scriptures point towards Jesus, preparing people to be ready to receive the Christ. Even today, we only understand our Bibles because the Holy Spirit helps us see.
"We all show the Lord's glory" - Rodney Howard-Browne describes how you and I are only "reflectors" of the glory of God, in the same way we have reflectors on the backs of our cars or our bikes. It almost looks as though the reflector has a bright light inside it, but it doesn't. The bright light shines into it and then the light is reflected out of the reflector. He says it's the same with the gift of the Holy Spirit - God shines his glory into us, and then it flows out of us, like a reflector.
Lord, Graham Kendrick puts it so well:
"As we gaze on Your kingly brightness
So our faces display Your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me."
May we be reflectors of God's glory. Let our actions to all those we have dealings with reflect Christ's compassion and sense of fairness, so when they meet us, they see Jesus, our risen Lord. Amen.
Written by Kate Hatton
Word on the Web
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
We have this hope, so we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a covering over his face so the Israelites would not see it. The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end. But their minds were closed, and even today that same covering hides the meaning when they read the old agreement. That covering is taken away only through Christ. Even today, when they read the law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds. But when a person changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord's glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
"...even today that same covering hides the meaning..." - one Bible commentator suggests the Israelites of St. Paul's day understood their Scriptures as little as their ancestors did - they remained satisfied with the external, ritual and ceremonial without digging deeper and asking the real meaning of the old system. Another commentator points out they imagined the Old Testament to be the final revelation of God. Paul and John argue all the Old Testament scriptures point towards Jesus, preparing people to be ready to receive the Christ. Even today, we only understand our Bibles because the Holy Spirit helps us see.
"We all show the Lord's glory" - Rodney Howard-Browne describes how you and I are only "reflectors" of the glory of God, in the same way we have reflectors on the backs of our cars or our bikes. It almost looks as though the reflector has a bright light inside it, but it doesn't. The bright light shines into it and then the light is reflected out of the reflector. He says it's the same with the gift of the Holy Spirit - God shines his glory into us, and then it flows out of us, like a reflector.
Lord, Graham Kendrick puts it so well:
"As we gaze on Your kingly brightness
So our faces display Your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me."
May we be reflectors of God's glory. Let our actions to all those we have dealings with reflect Christ's compassion and sense of fairness, so when they meet us, they see Jesus, our risen Lord. Amen.
Written by Kate Hatton
