Christ in the mirror

October 24, 2009

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? What do you wish/hope to see?

I sometimes like to just stare at my reflection. For some reason, it intrigues me to see myself, &consider how the being I see in that mirror is so very much loved by God, even though it is not perfection staring back at me.

There's another reflection though, that I believe most of us fail to realize.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 corinthians 3:18)

We who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory are being transformed into his likeness. It makes me happy beyond measure to realize that I am being transformed, from my imperfections, into his likeness. Christ's likeness. That is such a weighty statement and transformation. And yet, I feel like we treat it so lightly. Do we REALLY know that we reflect God's glory? That we are to be transformed into his likeness? That we are broken vessels through which God chooses to reveal his glory through? Because I feel we so often disappoint in this aspect. We don't live like we are to reflect his glory; that our lives are to look like Christ's. Yeah, it is God working in us and not ourselves bringing about this transformation. But we cannot expect to make no changes to our lives, playing all day in the ways of the world &expect to just one day wake up &find that we've miraculously changed to be good godly holy people. And yet, we still live very much so in our old &natural self. We are not convicted to change because we always make up a benefit for something that in the very depths of our heart we know is of no benefit to our spiritual lives, but that we hold onto so dearly &will not let go.

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. ... Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (John 14:9-10)

A pastor pointed out that this should be true of us as well. After all,

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

So here lies the harder question then. Since it is not us living, but Christ living in us, can we say that anyone who has seen us has seen Christ? That the words we speak, the stuff we do, our very lives are not our lives, but Christ's life in us? No, I guess none of us can really own up to that statement, because we are still trapped in this sinful, imperfect body. But we so often leave it at that. "I am a sinner. That's what grace is for right?" Or we leave it at "Do what I say, not as how I act." And we go on with our merry lives. But I believe we're missing the point. Is this not something to aim for? Were we not told to "aim for perfection"? We often give up before even attempting to really die to ourselves, and I believe it is because this is no easy thing. To completely die to ourselves is as contradictory and uncomfortable to ourselves as it is to bend your arm the wrong way. To have Christ completely living in us would cause such a huge upheaval in our lives; it would mean the death of our expectations, our desires, our wishes, our plans, our interests that are not from or of God, the death of everything that originated from self. It would cause such a great upheaval that the very thought of it scares us &so we choose (consciously or unconsciously) to sit content with our damaged lives (often wondering why we feel so dry and empty) while the devil rejoices in the fact that we are missing out on the greater glories God has to offer. We don't want to bother ourselves with it, because we're content and happy with where we are &God's grace is sufficient for us right? However,

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 corinthians 4:17-18

All these possible trials and troubles are really just light and momentary troubles when looked at in the light of what it is achieving us: an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

What's more appealing is God's promise. That

[He] will be a Father to [us], and [we] will be [his] sons and daugthers (2 corinthians 6:18)

And

Since we have these promises...let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 corinthians 7:1)

Yeah, we have a part in this process to. We must purify ourselves. And I believe that the "everything" that is spoken of that contaminates body and spirit really does include everything. Everything that is not of God, and that will not bring us closer to him in a good &godly way. We do not hate sin enough &we do not desire holiness enough. And it all leads back to our lack of reverence for our Almighty God, does it not?

Often I hear people considering ways to bring people to Christ, or considering why it is that sometimes it is so hard to do so. I think one reason is that we don't live as though we have a treasure. Our walk with God, our spiritual lives, these promises that we have been given. They are not precious to us. We say they are. But we don't act as though they are. So why would others even consider this as something worth looking into?

I pray that we would really take hold of these promises. Of our transformation, our "reflections." That we'd really come to live our belief that all these things we have been given in Christ are precious and are our treasures. That we'd come to see how fleeting everything in this life is. All its pleasures, fun, and happiness that it can offer are nothing compared to the eternal glory and life that is being achieved in us as is promised. That we'd hold everything loosely in this life so that when it comes time to let these things go so that we may grow & mature &to have the glory and life of God even more greatly revealed and shined through us, that we'd let go without a second thought. That we'd give up what we have deemed to be our rights so that we may receive from God even more.

I believe that God often has a lot that He wants to impart and give to us, but our hands are always full. Full of the things of this world, its temporary pleasures and happiness. We are afraid to give these things up because we have been subconsciously believing the lie that this world does have something to offer us, that if we were to give up everything in this world, we'd be left bored with just God. And we fail to realize that it is not until we have given up everything of this world that true joy & happiness may start. That when we are finally willing to drop all these cheap trinkets we hold so dearly to ourselves in our hands, God will give and bring to us what is truly gold and silver; what cannot perish &what will satisfy like no other.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)