The leaves are looking more brown than red now days and most are on the ground. We had our first frost this week with a low of twenty-six . I do believe I feel the earth tilting farther away from the sun.
But the glorious sunrise and some good news warms my heart this chilly November morning.
The headlines of our national and world news are far from encouraging. Are you as weary as I am?
A plague of terror and a plague of sickness seem to reign over the minds of the world. In between those two topics, there are others: school shootings, kidnappings, murders, political wars and more.
Aside from these items, I have my own personal wars to fight. Battles in my heart with time, thoughts, words, parenting and marriage seem to clamor for my attention. Battles between flesh and spirit.
The more I experience life, the more I realize there is a real spiritual battle going on.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
After I read the morning’s headlines, I turned to the Good News. Praise God that I just happen to be in 2 Corinthians chapters 3 – 5.
This is what I found…
Ebola will be completed eliminated and all terrorism will be abolished!
All of my personal struggles will be wiped out!
“For the things that are seen are transient and the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
And there is more…
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Our faithfulness to looking to eternal things in the midst of our challenges is our witness to this aching world. The result is that the Good News extends to those around us and God is glorified.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
We are fragile but there is Good News in our fragility.
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-11)
And if it wasn’t good enough news for us to be changed as we look to the eternal and for God to be glorified as we do so,we have more.
Shockingly, we are also being transformed into the image of God’s glory.
“Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?” (2 Corinthians 4:7-8)
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.” (2 Corinthians 4:12-13)
“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 4: 16, 18)
In the mundane of life, I long for an exciting encounter with the presence of God. Who wouldn’t want a Moses experience? This passage tells us that we have it!
Christians, through Christ, can now behold the glory of the Lord with an unveiled face. There is no barrier between a person found in Christ and a holy God.
This access to God is limitless, free from shame and is the means that He uses to transform us into His image.
Now THAT’S a headline.
May the headlines of our day, turn our hearts to worship and meditate on what is eternal and God’s lovely promises.
May they spur us on to remember the news that is praiseworthy!
Linking up with these refreshing and inspiring sites this week:
