2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
As my brother and I are growing up, our family makes the 1,000 mile trek from Georgia to Massachusetts every summer to visit grandparents, aunts and uncles and, of course, our cousins. One of the highlights of this trip is the pilgrimage to Lincoln Park, a pre-Disney/Six-Flags amusement venue replete with rides including the Ferris wheel, carousels, one of which features cars and motorcycles instead of the traditional horses, and a towering, wooden roller coaster, dubbed The Comet, which we were either not tall enough to ride, or too chicken to try.
But our all-time favorite attraction in the park is the iconic Fun House. It is a veritable maze of crooked, sinuous walkways, stifling tunnels, unexpected twists and turns, all designed to provoke amusement and surprise. The part I recall the most, however, is the row of distorting mirrors that alter our reflections in tortuous and disturbing ways. Although I humor my cousins by laughing right along with them at our bulbous heads, extended bellies, and elongated arms and legs, I find it more unsettling than anything else.
In Chapter Six of his book, The Discipline of Grace, author, Jerry Bridges, writes: "Our specific responsibility in the pursuit of holiness as seen in 2 Corinthians 3:8, then, is to behold the glory of the Lord as it is displayed in the gospel. The gospel is the 'mirror' through which we now behold His beauty. One day we shall see Christ, not as in a mirror, but face to face. Then, 'we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is' (1 John 3:2). Until then we behold Him in the gospel."
Just as you and I look into our mirrors every day when brushing our teeth or combing our hair, and we see only a reflection of our true selves, so the gospel gives us a reflection of who Christ really is. That is how, on this side of heaven, we can be transformed by the Spirit to become more Christ-like with each passing day.
And unlike the Fun House mirrors, flawed things of this world that aim to distort and misrepresent the truth, the gospel mirror is clear and unadulterated, reflecting nothing but the Truth.
The Truth that we, as Christians, should pursue with every fiber of our being.
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. ~1 Corinthians 13:12
Until that day, you and I can only imagine . . .
(Click on "I Can Only Imagine" to hear the song.)
Amen!
~
For the next seven weeks, I will be participating in a study of Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace. It is led by fellow Christian bloggers, Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter, who welcome you to read the book along with us, and chime in at any time you feel moved to do so. Hope to see you here next Wednesday as we reflect on Chapter Seven. God bless!
We had Pontchartrain Beach, an amusement park in New Orleans. My favorite thing to do there was something called (I think) the "Space Walk." You entered it through a mirror maze (and some people could never make it through with help). And then you found yourself walking through another planet, including eerie background music. It was brightly lit but confusing mirrors, and then darkness - perhaps symbolic of culture?
ReplyDeleteVery symbolic of culture, I'd say, Glynn - "brightly lit but confusing . . ." The world tries to lure us away from what we should be most focused upon.
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Yeah, we sure do see through a glass darkly, don't we. Thank you for these reflective words today, Martha. And no pun intended!
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Thanks, Linda! And even if the pun wasn't intended, it is sure appreciated. I love word play. :)
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Martha, I love your imagery here. Mirrors (of all types) can be so distorting--mirrors of our own making, mirrors of others. However, what we see in the mirror God provides is accurate in ways nothing else is. However, it won't be till heaven that we'll see clearly.
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Kim, I love what you said here about how distorting the "mirrors of our own making, mirrors of others" can be. I've often thought that I should tape a note to my bathroom mirror with the words "child of God" written there to remind myself who I truly am in His eyes, not the eyes of others.
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Every fiber of our being. Amen!
ReplyDeleteTo know Him and the power of His salvation
Amen to that, TC!
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good words, love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Sharon!
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So good, Martha. We can look into all sorts of "mirrors" to find identity or truth, but it's only the Gospel that reveals Jesus, the Truth. What a great analogy! Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked this analogy, Jason. Yes, only the Gospel Mirror shows us the truth.
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I love this,"And unlike the Fun House mirrors, flawed things of this world that aim to distort and misrepresent the truth, the gospel mirror is clear and unadulterated, reflecting nothing but the Truth." This is something Christians need to be reflecting to a culture that embraces truth as "relative" to the person or situation. Blessings, Martha!
ReplyDeleteOh, Beckie, how I love your comment here! I know I'm not the only one weary of the world's constant hammering of what it thinks we should believe. There is no relativity, there is only the Word, and that is the Truth.
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Really enjoyed this Martha. Sometimes it is so hard to remember that what we see now is only a dim reflection of what will be.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and following my blog. ~Marcie :-)
I'm so glad I found your blog, Marcie, and am looking forward to following you!
DeleteThank you, too, for commenting here. So true that what we see is only through a darkened mirror until God reveals His light in full. We wait with patience and expectancy.
Love and blessings!
good illustration. I have been journaling about mirrors lately as I work on a a book idea using mirrors as chapter titles. I hadn't thought about the silly mirrors in the fun houses. You gave me a new insight with this post. Thanks! have a wonderful weekend, Martha
ReplyDeleteOh, Jean, I'm so glad this post offered you some inspiration for your journal project! Isn't God amazing when He connects His children in such unexpected and esoteric ways? Can't help but love it!
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