Unveiled Glory | Michelle Dueck

"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."

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV)

Early this past Sunday morning, I was taking my dog on his long, special weekend walk. The sun hadn't risen yet, so it was quite chilly outside. As time went on, though, I got pretty used to the cold and didn't really think about what was missing until we made it to the park, where we finally found the sun...or where the sun finally found us. While breathing in deeply the warmth of those rays, I was reminded of the drastic difference the sun makes in our lives, offering heat and light necessary for all to live, welcomed when safe and comforting, yet also avoided when it gets to be far too much.

You may be wondering what the sun has to do with the verses I listed above? Well you see, nearby in 2 Corinthians 4:5-6, Paul describes the message of his ministry to spread the gospel,

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And a little earlier, Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:20, "For all the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."

While the amazing promises at the top seem at first to be completely dependent on each of us and whether we "[turn] to the Lord" and behold His glory, we're reminded at the end that "this comes from the Lord." Sometimes it's so hard and yet so important for us to remember the reality of our situation apart from a risen Savior, "dead" and "children of wrath" (as we were reminded recently in Ephesians 2), hopeless in our brokenness, rebellion, and shame.

Revisiting the story from John 4 about the Samaritan woman at the well from Aiven's devotion the other night, the woman was going to the well to draw water at the sixth hour of the day, basically when it was hottest and most people were resting. She still needed to get water like everyone else, but seemed to be doing it in a way that had her avoiding all the other women of the town. She also had the five different husbands that Jesus mentioned later in their conversation, and yet only men could divorce their wives back then and any infidelity (suspected or otherwise) usually led to stoning, aka: death, of the wife. It is very possible that this woman had been rejected over and over and over for just who she was, with each time increasing her shame and lessening her value to all those around her, to where she didn't even feel like she could engage in normal everyday activities with the rest of the women. And, this is the one that Jesus planned to meet and to reveal Himself? How much more beautiful her reaction may be then, when she realized who He was - leaving behind her water jar, spreading the message of Jesus to all of the people of the town, no longer worried about hiding or avoiding, because she had met the Messiah who had fully seen and known her at her core and welcomed her all the same, shining in her heart "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God."

How beautiful is the heart of our Savior to seek and save the lost, like that Samaritan woman...like me...like us, and at what price to Himself. May we all continue to step into His glorious light, responding humbly in worship and gratitude when reminded of our weakness and brokenness apart from Him, but also confident in the victory that is ours through Christ, now completely free in the Spirit to spread His truth in love to any and all whom we can find!

Questions for Reflection:

• Are there any areas of brokenness and/or shame in which you are still hiding...still holding back? Take these to Jesus and allow Him to work on those hurts of your heart.

• What is your story of how Jesus revealed to you your need for Him and His love and salvation for you?

• Is there someone that you are holding back sharing your story with that God is putting on your heart? Pray for them and for the Lord to help you know if/when to reach out!