I like watching shows where antique items, or historically significant finds are brought in to shops and road shows to be evaluated. I love the history of these things, and I love to see how much they go for. I don't have anything like that, but they're neat to watch. What's crazy, though, is that often, the people selling will say "It's been in my family for generations," "my dad won this in the war," or a slew of other personal reasons for them to have their items. The item, though, means little or nothing to the person selling it. Lately, it's come up (quite a bit) in our men's group about mirrors and Scripture. For example, 1 Corinthians 13 says that, in this time and place, we all see in a dim mirror (we don't get the whole picture, because we can't understand it), but when we're face to face with Jesus in His glory we will see clearly. James says that if we hear the word and not do it, it's like we stare at ourselves intently in the mirror, walk away, and immediately forget what we look like.
The idea, goes back to another concept from Genesis: we were designed in the image of God, to reflect His image and glory. Yet, at times, our flawed way of thinking and rebellious way of acting tarnish that image so that it barely reflects (you can't muddy up God's handiwork so that it's not unrecognizable, all things work for His glory, even as we rebel), we sometimes don't even see a dim reflection because our pride and sin are too strong, and we forget what we look like because we know what God's word says, but struggle with our hard hearts and choose our own desires.
What does your life reflect? Is it a string of accomplishments to show how wonderful you are? Is it your house and your cars and your many fine things and toys that you collect? Is it your relationship status? All of these things are fleeting. Each one of them, in the long run, mean nothing if they don't bring glory to God. Each one of them will be thrown out or given to someone who doesn't care for it. What is your life bringing to eternity? How are you giving God glory with what He's given to you (whether much or little)? Think on these things, and turn and reflect His Glory. 2 Corinthians 3:7-12 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
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