Happy Days
“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."- II Corinthians 3:18
Although there are twelve months each calendar year, there are certain months that hold greater sentimental value and provide multiple opportunities of celebration. For our family, June is the "mother of all months" as we have many reasons to smile, applaud, and shout a big "thank you" to Jesus! It is the month Joanie and I were married; it is the month we became pastors of The Shepherd's House; it is the month of our firstborn's birthday; and it is the month we went to China to adopt and bring home our daughter.
The month of June is a 30 day reminder of the 365 day a year reality that God is loving, faithful, and in control. It is this truth of the total care and covering that God provides that has me speaking out the following word, "God's promise for us goes far beyond today!" Often our vision is near-sighted and our thoughts are limited as it relates to God. We tend to get caught up in the moment of need, the daily burden, and the in your face obstacle. Of course, there is nothing wrong with addressing these things, as the word declares in Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." But what if we were able to believe in the truth and hope that God's provision is greater than just paying the bills in June; God's healing is greater than taking away the back pain you have had for the last six months; God's peace is greater than seeing reconciliation in a broken relationship; and God's power is greater than simply overcoming a fear or weakness that paralyzes us.
The above words of the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth would be imagery that each believer would easily recognize. This idea of beholding and increasing in the Lord's glory speaks to Moses' encounter and daily fellowship with the Lord on Mount Sinai. For forty days Moses had an intimate and enlightening time in the Lord's presence that was beyond breathtaking. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 34:10, "No prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face." When Moses came down the mountain his face radiated with the glory of the Lord from his encounter. In order to not send the people into a fearful frenzy, Moses covered his face with a veil, until the glory dissipated from his countenance as it became duller with each passing day. The picture from the days of Moses is that in order to encounter the glory of the Lord's presence and receive the wisdom of the Lord's will, one had to be in a specific physical location. The beautiful contrast on this side of the New Testament and the Resurrection of Christ, is that the work of the Holy Spirit is an ever-abiding, all-encompassing, and glory-increasing work in the life of God's people! II Timothy 1:7 tells us, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."
The key for us in this day is to not simply live in a MOMENT deposit of the Lord's glory, but to be one who continually MOVES in the fullness of His presence, truth, and liberty. The work of God in our lives is not limited to solely a physical manifestation or twenty-four hour time period, but it is to be such that our faith, our peace, our love, and our hope is increased beyond measure. As we call out to the Lord, as we wait in His presence, and as we behold Him may we truly be transformed out of weakness into increasing strength; out of fear into increasing peace; out of sickness into increasing health; out of poverty into increasing provision; out of mourning into increasing joy; out of strife into increasing unity; and out of doubt into increasing hope. Let's not look to a physical place as our source of God's glory raining down on us, but from a personal relationship with our Maker who wants to move in our lives and make every minute of every day of every month a time of majesty with Him and in Him! II Peter 1:5-8 speaks to this wonderful and supernatural possibility, "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."