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 all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Lord, we surrender this new day to You. Please restore me in You, renew me in You, and grow me in You today. I pray that this time I spend with You is a time of worship, a time of learning, a time of humility, a time of awe, and a time of peace. I pray that You will prepare me for the calling that You have for me today and continue the work You are still doing in me for the greater good of Your Kingdom. Amen.

When I read today's readings, there are certain parts of each verse that stood out to me. I would like to look at each part further with you today.

"the veil is taken away" - veils are very effective in putting up walls, even if they are typically a very flimsy separation. A line of sight is a necessity to the sensory beings that we are; I understand that when one loses his/her sight, the other senses are greatly heightened to compensate; even then, our brains are wired to create internal "pictures" that interpret the world around us. To have this veil removed, has to be freeing. I remember being a a bride and having the veil lifted at my wedding; seeing my husband for the first time as my husband. It was a very powerful experience. In the Bible, veils keep God's glory from shining on our faces; from being seen. Moses wore one to prevent others from being afraid of the God-glow on his face after he met God on the mountain. It is powerful to think that we can be like mirrors without the veil, reflecting God's glory uninhibited.

"where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" - Freedom. We all want freedom from something - paying bills, routine day-to-day, overbearing issue, hurt, pain, relationships - something. This isn't quite the type of freedom we are looking at here; rather, it is so much greater. By trusting Christ, we are loved, accepted, forgiven, and freed to live for Him. So in the midst of the bills, routine, hurt, pain, and relationships, we are already free in relationship with Christ to tackle those with Him at our side, in our hearts, and guiding our steps.

"being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" - In the Gospel, we see the truth about Christ, and it transforms us as we understand and apply it to our lives. As our knowledge deepens, the Holy Spirit helps us to change, becoming more and more the beings God created us to be. Becoming Christ-like is a progressive experience that will not be completed until we reach Heaven, but I am convinced that interacting with us as we grow in our Christ-likeness is how this world actually sees Christ in the flesh. By gazing at the nature of God with unveiled minds, we can be more like Him.

Ultimately, for me, this verse is reminding me that the separation between God and I is removed when I turn to Him, seek Him and connect with Him in relationship. With the veil removed, I become a mirror's reflection of His glory. The Spirit guides me each day - each moment - as I grow in my ability to live a life that reflects Christ more accurately, more fully. It is the Holy Spirit within me that makes this happen - I am not in charge.

Thanks for walking through this with me today. What are your thoughts?

Lisa