Reflecting Glory
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| Sknight Luna 2019 |
Oh, how I LOVE this passage of scripture. It has been a constant reminder to me of how God sees me. The Song of Solomon is the passionate pursuit of each other by two lovers. It's a husband and wife and in a New Testament context it is Christ and His Church, because that's what marriage is an ultimate picture of (Ephesians 5:22-33). Chapter 6 in the ESV (English Standard Version) Translation has as its sub title "Lovers in the Garden of Love." The whole of the Song of Solomon is a conversation between the groom, the bride and their guests or others. It's a fascinating read and the original language will leave you blushing.
However, this morning I found myself pondering this passage in a different light. It's early in the year and while I made no resolutions and set no particular goals in my life I did take a hard look at the things currently transpiring in the world today; we are still in the grips of a global pandemic, the United States has come through a very contentious election period that led to an insurrection and a close call of a coup d`etat. The lines between right and wrong are being eroded and in many places The Church is having its core foundations fractured because by and large many who claim to be a part of Her don't have a clear picture of the Groom. Christ has been so distorted in our age of me-ism. He has simply become an add on to what we really want. We are no better than Herod, we demand Jesus do a miracle, not because we believe He is who He says He is but because we want Him to entertain us so that we'll have a cool story to tell our friends and family.
This time God had me look at what the groom compared the bride to, the groom compares her to the moon. He doesn't compare her to the moon in its natural state, rather he compares her to the moon as it reflects the fullness of the light of the sun. The moon on its own is nothing spectacular to see. As one person noted, "We went to the moon, found out it wasn't made of cheese and we never went back." The moon on its own is a harsh and desolate place. It's filled with craters and it's cold.
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| Dom Le Roy @ pexels.com |
We are the moon. There is nothing desirable about us. When we are left to ourselves we are cold, harsh and sinful. When we are left to ourselves we are dangerous and filled with darkness. However, when Christ who is our life and light shines upon us we become something beautiful. We become reflections of His glory. Hebrews 3:3 calls Jesus the radiance of the Glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature. Jesus is the dawn of God breaking through the darkness of the sins of the hearts of men. He is the Light that darkness can never overcome (John 1:5). When Jesus enters darkness and all of its forces flee, for a King has invaded and as we welcome Him we have at our every side an army that is terrifying to our enemy (2nd Kings 6:8-17). The brightness and beauty of the moon are all borrowed from the sun and so it is with us. The Lord is acquainted with our frame. He knows we are only dust, yet He has chosen to put His treasure, Christ, in us, earthen vessels. I know, there are times when it seems the darkness would swallow us completely but just as in the natural the sun never stops shining so it is with Christ.
Who is she? She is The Church of God purchased by the blood of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Who is she? She is The Church of God living with a confident expectation of good. Who is she? She is The Church of God breaking through darkness, pushing back evil and all its forces with the light of the glorious gospel of Christ Her King and She is NEVER alone for She is well guarded, guided and graced by The One to whom She has been called.
Beloved let us remember that we are not our own. We have been purchased with the precious blood of Christ our King. The light and beauty and terror we carry are not ours. We do not own them. They are borrowed and it is only by the Son shining on and through us that we have anything worthy of praise or any measure of goodness.
May we live to reflect His Glory
In Christ,
Storm
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