“Thine eyes shall see The King in His Beauty.” Is. 33:17
“Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith; test yourselves! Do you not know yourselves, that Christ is in you…?” 2 Cor. 13:5
A friend recently advised, “Glance at the evil, gaze at the good.” How easy it is in today’s clamouring world to do the reverse, to be so caught up with the compulsion to combat evil that we find ourselves championing causes and allegiances that divide and divert us from dedicated allegiance to our indwelling King, from our high calling to live by His Spirit out of who we are in Christ, in life-changing obedience to His Father and our Father.
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” What greater treasure possible for man than “the glorious riches of this mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”? Saul was consumed with the need to combat the evil of the emerging Christian sect, ravaging the church until his vision was refocussed and he allowed God to “reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him.” May it please Him to fully awaken us also to this reality of Christ in us.
Years ago, another friend sent me a card with these words in large type: THIS MORNING I SAW THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE MIRROR. I smile every time it registers with me, struck afresh with the awe of Him Who loved me to new birth as His son. Such costly love, how can I fail to be consumed by it far beyond all other passions? This transforming love gradually lighting up everything, enabling us to see with our Father’s eyes the people and events around us, to see His world as He sees it, this world of battered, Shepherdless people that He loved so much He parted with His only Son. So now “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 by the Spirit of The Lord.”
Our Father in Heaven, may we see You in the beauty of our King, Who said “Whoever sees Me sees the Father,” may we see Him in one another within the family of God, in those who agree fully with us and those who don’t. May we, by the discerning love of Your Spirit, see Him in the poor, the hungry, the naked, the powerless, the voiceless, the disagreeable… May we truly know our true Christed selves, and in this faith rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. And may the evil around us focus our attention all the more on You, that we may be transformed by Your renewing of our mind to be able to test and approve what Your will is, Your good, pleasing and perfect will. So may You prepare us together for that glorious day when we, standing blameless and full of joy in the Presence of Your glory, will be presented to our Bridegroom King, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen!