Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18
We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 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. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
A Reflection
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, having received the ten commandments, his face shone with the glory of God in whose presence he had been. His face shone to such an extent that the people of Israel were dazzled, and he had to wear a veil over his face. You can read about this towards the end of Exodus Chapter 34.
Paul sees this as an image of our struggle to understand the things of God until they are revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ. He says that when we turn to the Lord, in the sense of inviting him into our lives through repentance and faith, the veil is taken away and we begin to understand.
For all of us this is the beginning of a journey of discovery. Even Paul, with his deep knowledge of the Old Testament as a devout Pharisee, and in spite of his dramatic conversion experience on the road to Damascus, even he spent three years learning the truths and the implications of what the gospel means. Only then could he begin to fully grasp the wonder of the Christian gospel in terms of salvation by grace and the freedom that faith in Jesus brings.
It is maybe not surprising then that there are times when we struggle to understand the things of God! But we can be encouraged, because God is at work in the lives of all believers, not only to remove the veil of misunderstanding through faith in Jesus but also to lead us into all truth and into freedom through the work of his Holy Spirit.
And not only that but, as God is at work in our lives, he is transforming us into his image with ever-increasing glory. The changes may seem imperceptible to you, but as you spend time with God, though prayer, through worship and through reading the scriptures, be assured, he is transforming you from one degree of glory to another.
None of this happens overnight; it takes a lifetime of a gradual increasing in glory. As someone has said, ‘Please be patient, God hasn’t finished with me yet!’
A Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus that you are removing the veil from my eyes, that you are leading me into truth and freedom, and that you are transforming me with ever-increasing glory.
Amen
Lord, I come to you
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