About a month ago, my daughter stood in front of the mirror and said, “Mommy, come look at me in the mirror.” I replied, “Honey, I don’t need the mirror to see you. I already see you. YOU need the mirror to see you.” I pondered a moment, and the following scripture came to mind:
“And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continue to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another…” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP)
It was as if the Lord allowed to me understand this scripture in new light. Previously, I’d only believed it to mean that the Word was a mirror to expose my faults and bring conviction for change. Today, however, I realize that the Word is a mirror meant to reveal Who He is, and in effect, Who I am in Him. Reading God’s Word does not affect how God sees me–that’s works. Reading God’s Word, however, affects how I see myself.
This is a blessed revelation that I never want to forget.
You see, when I read the Word with veiled face (like it’s law), I die, and all hope and confidence is lost. (2 Corinthians 3:6) That’s because I don’t measure up and I never will. (Romans 5:20) However, if I look at the Word with unveiled face (through the eyes of grace), I will see all that He is, and in turn, all that I am in Him. Christ is my identity–my reflection–and beholding the glory of the Lord means my focus shifts from everything I’m not to everything He is. Suddenly, I am able to rest in Christ’s perfection while His Spirit transforms me in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another.
So, just like I told my sweet girl, God says to us all, “I don’t need the mirror to see you. I already see you. YOU need the mirror to see you.”
Lord, that could not be any more true! Give us the grace to see ourselves the way You already see us. Let Your Word be our mirror. Amen!
“Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that WE ARE RIGHTEOUS. … He declares sinners to be right IN HIS SIGHT when they believe in Jesus.”
Romans 3:24 & 26 (NLT)“For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because WE ARE UNITED WITH CHRIST JESUS.”
Ephesians 2:6 (NLT)“So YOU also ARE COMPLETE through your union with Christ…”
Colossians 2:10 (NLT)“He has brought you into His own presence and YOU ARE HOLY AND BLAMELESS, as you stand before Him WITHOUT A SINGLE FAULT.”
Colossians 1:22 (NLT)“For by that one offering, He FOREVER MADE PERFECT those who are being made holy.”
Hebrews 10:14 (NLT)“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be HOLY AND WITHOUT FAULT IN HIS EYES. … This is what He wanted to do and it gave Him great pleasure.”
Ephesians 1:4 & 6 (NLT)
