LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

"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."
II Corinthians 3:18

Every morning I find myself set in a routine of waking, showering, and dressing for the day. Every morning I take off my sleep clothes in exchange for clean clothes. Every morning I let the water run a minute or two while I stare in the mirror to determine if I need (or want) to shave for the day or not. Every morning I go through the same steps to come to the same result.
Today, though, was slightly different. While I still woke and all, I found myself starring at my reflection just a few minutes longer while the water from the shower hit the tub and glided down the drain. What was I looking at? At first it was my facial hair...I haven't shaved since Sunday and the hair above my lip is starting to curl in on the sides. It pokes me a little. Then I moved to my head to see how long my hair there was. It has been almost a week since I buzzed my head and it is growing quicker than I wish. After careful consideration of all I could see in the mirror, I felt in my spirit a prompting, a nudge so to say. What about your heart?
The reflection I see in the mirror is a reflection of me. Good or bad, perfect or blemished, the person physically looking back at me from the mirror is myself. But I want my reflection to be of Christ. As stated in an old song by the Allies, "I want the world to be looking at You when they're looking at me." Still, in order for the world to see something worth seeing, I need to be something worth being. Now please do not read that wrong, I am not saying this is all works related. What I am saying, however, is that when I look in the mirror and still see more of myself than of Christ, something is seriously wrong.
I read in II Corinthians 3:18 that I am being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory. So exactly how is this happening? Do I just wake up one day and suddenly look Christ-ly? Wish that was the case, but unlike Spiderman, I wasn't bit by some God-spider and woke up with abs. In order for me to reflect Christ I must allow myself to be transformed by Christ. I do this by allowing Him to remove all the places that do not give Him glory. In a way it is like plastic surgery. I see a defect, I make an appointment with the doctor for it to be fixed or removed, then I have a more perfect body. So then like with Christ, I see a defect - I have anger issues. I make an appointment with the doctor - I come before God in prayer and honestly take time in His presence, many times as a repeat client, until finally the blemish, the sin, the weakness is removed. I have a more perfect body - I reflect a positive piece of the overall image of who He is.
Becoming like Christ is not a one time visit, though, much like going to one counseling session is never enough to solve years of conflict. Even in my times of being counseled, it seemed as though when one issue was getting better, a new issue was arising. It wasn't that the counselor wanted to drain my pockets by pointing out my every flaw, but that their goal was my overall health. So with God, when one issue is getting better God will suggest another area that we too need to work on. For me I have seen how God has worked to show me I need help with my anger, then begin also to work with unforgiveness, self-esteem, and my treatment of others to name a few areas. Lest I think I will ever be perfect while on earth, I can at least rest assured that I am a work in progress, and God longs to work His perfection in me.
So in coming back to what I saw in the mirror today, I may have areas where my reflection does show a hint of Christ, but until all of me reflects Christ, I have work to do. Therefore the remainder of II Corinthians 3:18 is true for me, this transformation comes from the Lord, aided by the Spirit. I must be willing to lay myself down to God's knife and allow Him to perform the surgery needed on me, piece by piece. The end result will be a reflection of Him. The end result of reflecting Him is what I desire.

THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”
Psalm 32:1-2

This week I have found myself in a place of thought. It’s not too hard to do as I think I am truly unable to shut my brain off. But my thoughts this week haven’t been about my paper that is due for my Master’s, or of my finances, or even of what I will do on my next day off. My thoughts have been about forgiveness, or better yet, the joy forgiveness brings.
I was listening early this week to a message I preached last summer. I know, you may think it a little strange, but I go back and listen to myself for one main reason. I want to make sure I am living what I preach. I want to make sure it cannot be said of me that I am a hypocrite. So with this being the case, I went back and listened to a message I shared titled, “Breaking Chains and Smashing Idols”. In listening I found myself getting excited by my own words, sharing with the people that we must stop bowing down to the idols of our life, and instead get rid of them as kings Hezekiah and Josiah did. These kings refused to let the high places stay up and made it a point to destroy them all.
Now if you know me, you probably also know at least a portion of my past and the addictions that used to have their way with me. You may also know some of the pains I have suffered. It has been years since all this transpired, but it has only been recently that another wave of reality concerning God’s forgiveness has washed over me. It reminds me of King David in Psalm 51. David, after sinning with Bathsheba and working to hide his sin by killing her husband, has been found out and confronted by the prophet. From here we assume that he cries out to God and asks for forgiveness. He wants God’s mercy in blotting out his sin. The price for David’s sin cost him a child, as sin will always have consequence, but forgiveness was given.
I too have been forgiven, and I can assure you that my sin has cost me more than I wanted to pay. But I can also say to you that had I not known this sin, I may not have fully known God’s forgiveness, nor would I be sharing with you what I am now. You see, David makes a comment to God in Psalm 51:13 that following God’s forgiveness, he will teach sinners of His ways, and they too will turn to Him. In many ways this is what I have been striving to do in these writings and in the words I teach with. I have been forgiven by God when really I should have received death (Rom 6:23). Having God’s forgiveness has been my joy; and having this recent reality of forgiveness again has only served to bring a renewed joy. And why not? How freeing it is to know that sin has no hold on me. How joyful I am to know that the death that once crept into my bones now cannot creep in. How awesome I feel knowing that I am in right relationship with Him again.
From Psalm 51 it is assumed that David wrote Psalm 32, the teaching of others that he promised to do. David took the time to share with others how sin was killing him on the inside, but how God’s forgiveness when his sin was confessed brought life back into his being. Below I leave for you the beginning verses of a translation of the Hebrew that I have researched for myself. Oh how I pray that you also will know the joy of forgiveness.

How happy is the one whose rebellions are pardoned, burnt away even, whose offenses are covered! How happy is the one whose mischief the LORD does not interpenetrate them with, and in whose spirit there is no treachery!
While I held my peace and kept practicing in secret my silence, the strength found in my bones began to decay from all day moaning. Day and night your hand literally and figuratively was burdensome on me; the moisture in my body converted to that found in a summer’s drought.
Then I recognized how my offense was hurting me and I no longer concealed my mischief. I said, “I will throw up my hands and throw out my rebellion before you LORD.” And you, God, carried off and burnt away the punishment of my offenses.
Psalm 32:1-5