Glorious!

Coming into a New Year, it is good to reflect on the past and look into the future. My inclination as we step into the new year is to hope for greater things; to build on foundations laid in the past year and to plan for greater and new things. I choose to lean into hope and the expectation that God will come through in new ways and will reveal his Glory.

Psalm 27: 13 - 14

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:7 – 18 NIV

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 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.

2 Corinthians 3: 16 – 18 TPT

But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

This verse in 2 Corinthians has been on my mind and heart over the last few days. Just to clarify, Paul is talking about the New Covenant (relationship with God) in Christ that we have, and comparing it to the old Covenant that Moses established with the Israelites through the 10 commandments that he brought down from Mt Sinai, where God spoke to him and gave him the commandments to guide the Israelites in their new found freedom. They had just recently departed Egypt and lives of slavery via the parted Red Sea. It was kind of like ‘the terms and conditions of living in freedom’ – designed to ensure that their relationship with God would prosper and that the Israelites would truly be blessed.

The law was designed to bring life, but because the people couldn’t keep it in their own strength, they struggled and ultimately failed in some way or another, time and time again, generation after generation. Even King David, who was a ‘man after God’s heart’ and the writer of many of the Psalms couldn’t quite cut it, and he fell to the temptation of a beautiful woman next door – and went on to arrange a situation in battle where her husband would be killed.

Exodus 34: 29 – 35

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so, Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

In the old covenant, which was characterised by the law, the people could not look upon the presence of God – it instilled a Holy fear in them, and they simply could not handle it. Jesus, however, paid the blood sacrifice for our sin himself, and as he was the very son of God (fully God and fully Human), he has made a way so that we can come to the Father. The old Covenant still stands and is valid for us today – giving us the same terms and conditions of freedom, but there is more (like a free set of steak knives!!). The law is written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and God himself has made a new way. New ‘terms and conditions’ of freedom have been built upon the old (Matt 5:17). And so, if you like, he has made a way for us from one level of truth, righteousness and glory to another. And what’s more, as we come to know/ experience/ grow in our relationship with God – father, son and Holy Spirit, we reflect a little more of his Glory, and are transformed to be in His likeness. He is taking us higher, and drawing us closer to Him. That is one thing we can be confident of as Christians.

This is not something that we can work out ourselves, as Paul says in his letter to the Church in Corinth, but it is something that can only be done by the Spirit. Trying harder, reading more or worshipping longer both does and does not facilitate the process. It does help us in coming to God, to set our focus and affection on him, and to learn about Him in His word, but it is purely by the grace of God that we can become more like Him. We don’t want to be too religious or legalistic. It is a free gift, and it is by the blood of Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit becomes manifest in our lives as we look to the presence of God and the gifts of the Spirit somehow become ours for the asking. We can be like little children on Christmas morning, coming to our heavenly Father. Check out the Christian song on You Tube, “Glory to Glory”.

We just simply get to look towards Him. To His goodness, His grace, His majesty and His loving kindness. There is one phrase in the bible that is repeated a number of times that reflects the nature of God. We find it here in Ps 145, v 8 (in bold)– but I have included a good chunk of the Psalm as it is such a beautiful psalm of praise and speaks volumes of the nature of God. It was written by King David!

Psalm 145: 1 – 13

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b] They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

And so in this new year, 2021, we set our hearts and our focus on Jesus, our Saviour and King afresh, and move forwards with a sweet expectation of seeing his goodness and his kingdom come. Regardless of our circumstances, we can trust in His Holy name and look to His Spirit that comes alongside us, helps us and changes us into His likeness. He truly is Glorious.