I have recently been very aware of my feelings of inadequacy to share the hope I have in Christ. I mean, He is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING in my life...why can I not share that better? I want to be sensitive and not pushy, but should I be silent all for the purpose not offending? Should I keep silent when it is about life, freedom, real love, eternity...all found in God through the Lord Jesus who I dearly love? Again, inadequacy. I was reading in 2 Corinthians 3:3-6:
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such confidence as this is ours 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.
Paul then writes about the difference in the Old Testament law (the letter) and how
"the ministry of the Spirit [will] be even more glorious" (2 Cor. 3:8). He goes on to say in 2 Cor. 3:9-13:
If the ministry that condemns men is 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 fading away 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 keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.
That last part--we are bold. We get to show the radiance on our faces. And 2 Cor. 3:16-18:
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, 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.
Wow! I am being transformed into the likeness of the Lord and I reflect His glory with an unveiled face. What encouragement! What joy! What hope! Praise the Lord!
1 comment:
Hi Kasteen! I tagged you on my blog :)
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