By Pastor Don Schatz

Advent Mystery

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
II Corinthians 3:18. New International Version.

This is a marvelous verse.  It speaks of wonders impossible without the grace of the Lord.  It speaks of those same wonders as absolutely real in us.  We understand the words and comprehend what they say.  Marvelous.  Simultaneously, this verse is marvelous in its mystery.

In the Old Testament, after Moses visited with God face-to-face, his face shone with the reflected glory of the Lord.  It scared the people of Israel.  As a result, Moses veiled his face until the shining reflection of divine glory faded.  But now, in and through Christ Jesus by the movement of the Holy Spirit, we do not veil our faces as we reflect the Lord’s glory to the world.  Heady stuff.  Marvelous stuff.  Mysterious stuff.

We are just into the season of Advent, a liturgical time of intentional preparation of heart, soul, mind and spirit for the joyous news of the Incarnation of Christ at Christmas.  As the candles on the Advent Wreath increase, so we are being transformed into the Lord’s likeness as he Comes to us continually in Word and Sacrament.  Created in his likeness in the first place (Genesis 1:27), we lost that image in sin.  Now it is restored, even if only “partially” (shades of I Corinthians 13).  Our lifetime journey with Christ, growing in grace and knowledge and wisdom of the will of God through the Word, finds God working this wonderful, mysterious transformation day-by-day.

We are each unique.  Uniquely created in Christ Jesus.  You alone reflect the Lord’s glory in the unique way that you do as a “new creation” of God in Christ.  If you find yourself “veiling” the Glory of the Lord in you, figure out what that veil is.  Then throw it as far away as possible, like a discus thrower in a Track Meet.  It is Advent work.  Now, shine in the mysterious wonder of God’s work in and through you.  Others will see Christ in your face today.  Marvelous.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado