trusting by reflecting...

I was encouraged this week by a Biblical word study from 2 Corinthians 3:18 indicating that we are God’s mirrors…

And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 JB)

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. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB)

One translation says, beholding as in a mirror another says, reflecting like mirrors. The verb katoptrizo can be translated either reflecting or beholding...

“with unveiled face, beholding” (RSV)
“beholding as in a glass” (KJV)
“reflecting like mirrors” (JB)
“be mirrors that brightly reflect” (TLB)
“we . . all reflect the Lord’s glory” (NIV)

It seems the Holy Spirit intentionally selected a verb that would remind us to do both—beholding our Lord Jesus Christ so intently that we can’t help but reflect Him.

To behold a face in a mirror is to study, to stare, to contemplate. Jesus is the source; we are the glass. Jesus is the light; we are the mirrors. Jesus sends the message; we mirror it…reflecting Who we are beholding

“As He is, so are we in this world”...as we behold Jesus, we are unconscious of the change in us, we are reflecting His beauty, His love for us.

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.—1 John 4:16-18 

Take a few minutes to behold Him, He’s altogether lovely, as Chris Tomlin sings in this rendition of Here I Am To Worship…

You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me

Heavenly Father, thank You for letting me behold the Savior! He has come and is coming again! Lord Jesus, thank You for being a light to reveal God to the nations so that more people can know and worship our Father. Thank You for bringing us out of darkness and into Your marvelous light. I want to shine Your light everywhere I go so that everyone around me will be drawn to You. I may not yet behold You with my physical eyes, but let the eyes of my heart be awakened to reflect You and to rejoice in You today. You are worthy of all of my praise and adoration! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

.

Look Up—meditate on 2 Corinthians 3:18… pray to see what it reveals about the character of God.
.
Look In—as you meditate on 2 Corinthians 3:18… pray to see how you might apply it to your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries: "Because God is_________, I will_____________."
.
Look Out—as you meditate on 2 Corinthians 3:18…pray to see how you might apply it to your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every relationship, for your good, and for His glory.