Becoming like Jesus?

Sometimes pets and their owners become lookalikes. It happens to married couples too. Interestingly, the Bible says that if anyone makes an idol the object of their attention, they I will become like that idol — a scary thought! But it is also true if I make Jesus the object of my attention, the focus of my gaze.

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 3:18)

Chambers says this outstanding truth about being a Christian means having an “unveiled frankness before God so that the life becomes a mirror for other lives.” He adds that we are transformed when filled with the Holy Spirit, and we become a mirror for the glory of God by beholding His glory.

Mirrors are unaware of their power to reflect. They are just mirrors. But the people around them see the reflection. When it comes to reflecting the glory of the Lord, I have one friend who is so transparent that Jesus shines in his life, yet if told this, he would be puzzled. He doesn’t see that in himself.

As for me, I know what mucks up my ability to reflect Christ— sin, selfishness, and lack of faith. However, good things rather than the best things can also do it. In fact, a “nice” person is not necessarily filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus had occasions where He would not have been considered “nice” — such as taking a whip and driving the money-changers out of the temple, or calling the religious leaders “white-washed sepulchers” but He was always filled with the Spirit.

Sometimes people cannot see Jesus’ glory in others because their ability to see God is flawed. Their eyes can be veiled by unbelief and sinful rebellion. They will see something, but not necessarily recognize what it is. Or they will see themselves in that mirror and not be thrilled at what God is showing them.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. (James 1:22–24)

James uses the ‘looking in a mirror’ concept to suggest that when I am filled with the Spirit and looking at the glory of God, I will see myself more clearly, like God sees me. I may not like that revelation, but God wants me to allow that reflection to keep me open toward Him.

Then, as I concentrate on Him, He will transform me as I keep myself in the place of beholding, not allowing anything to obscure or cover over my life that is “hid with Christ in God.” As Chambers says, the severest discipline of a Christian’s life is to learn how to keep “beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.”

All of this is tied to loving God and loving others. Love is a powerful component of becoming like Jesus, a perfection that is partial now, but God keeps polishing, knowing exactly what is needed. Even the best and clearest “mirrors” do not reflect Jesus perfectly, but one day they will.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:8–12)

---

Bob’s symptoms have not improved. He cannot sleep because of fever and rapid pulse. He is still short of breath. The doctor decided to switch the medication, hopefully to something that works. However, with CLL his red blood cell count is down. Since red blood cells carry oxygen to the body, this might explain why he is still having trouble breathing. This afternoon they started blood transfusions, red cells only. I left the hospital at 5:30 just as the first unit finished and the second was ready to hook up.

As for me, this is exhausting. I try to keep my focus on the Lord and have to agree with Chambers that this is a “severe discipline.” Like Bob, all I want to do is sleep.

God’s spoiled brat

Numbers 20:14–21:35, 1 Corinthians 3:1–4:21, Psalm 18:31–50

Yesterday someone remarked that because of the size of my studio, that I am spoiled. I have to agree. I sometimes call myself God’s spoiled brat. However, this studio wasn’t even on my wish list.

When I was a new Christian, I thought God would be like my dad who spoiled me, and give me whatever I asked for. I learned the hard way that was not true. Over the years, I’ve become much more content. Now I just trust Him. If I need something, He will supply it; if I don’t, that is fine. He knows best, and this studio was His idea.

That said, I relate to the shameful condition of being a spoiled brat. Moses had a whole tribe of them to deal with . . .

“From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’” Whiney brats, the lot of them.

God needed to teach them and arranged an unusual lesson. He “sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.’”

Moses did pray for the people, then He said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, that person could look at the bronze serpent and live. (Numbers 21:4–9)

In this situation, God could have stopped the snakes from biting, but that would only appease their complaining for a little while. Far better if they learned that when they were in dire straits, they must look to God’s provision for help. He was going to wean them from their ‘spoiledness.’

In the NT, Jesus reminded Nicodemas of this OT narrative when He explained to him the way of salvation. In Jesus’ interpretation, that story illustrates how people “bitten” by sin must turn to God’s provision. He put it this way: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15) Jesus is God’s answer to our need to be saved from sin.

Sin is essentially putting me first, wanting what I want when I want it. The Israel were guilty, but so is every person ever born. All sin and fall short of the glory of God, Christians included. The redemption of God sets us free from sin’s penalty (we look to Christ and live), but we still struggle with snake bite and selfishness. Paul wrote the Christians in Corinth and told them they were not taking care of their snake bites and had some growing up to do . . .

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? . . . . Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 and 4:18–21)

Paul gave them an option. They could shape up, or they could face a stronger rebuke. When God disciplines me, I usually don’t get to pick what He will use to teach or correct me. At one time, I grumbled about this, but have learned that His discipline is far better than anything I might prefer. He knows what will get through to my stubborn self-centeredness!

In a way, I’m still His spoiled brat, yet it has become more His choice than mine. For this, I am deeply humbled.

“For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? — the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.” (Psalm 18:31–33)

Lessons in thinking with the mind of Christ

Yesterday I learned two discomforting things about myself. One was that I still have trouble when I turn out to be not as clever as I thought I was. Pride? Of course.

The other is that I still depend on some people in certain situations instead of relying on the Lord. Idolatry? Probably, but whatever it is, it eventually leads to disappointment.

The Bible passage for today is mostly about the second lesson. It says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:1–8)

People cannot be any of that for me. God is my helper. He can use people, but that is up to Him, so my reliance must be on Him, not on others. Whatever I need, I’m to trust Him to take care of it.

The rest of today’s devotional addresses the pride that smacked me in the face. It says that humility is vital, but true humility is not about looking down at my feet or down on myself for not being what I think I should be. True humility is developed by looking up, by “standing at my very highest, then looking at Christ” and with that, becoming forever humble.

Humility is not about how low I think I am, but about how amazing and great God is, how unfailing and perfect. Instead of comparing myself to others I consider lesser (and becoming prideful), or to others I consider greater (and being filled with self-pity or self-loathing), I should be looking at Jesus and being filled with awe.

He is God, yet He loves me. He is eternal life, yet died for me. He is holy and perfection, yet accepts me. He has all resources and yet takes care of my needs. My help comes from Him. He never goes to sleep on the job, will not let evil touch me, and if it slips through, it is because He is going to use it for good in my life. He protects me, only allowing what can be used to transform me into His image.

Is Jesus clever? No, not like I measure cleverness. He did not care about wit, what others thought, or getting “well done” written on His life. He did the will of God and trusted His Father to use life’s circumstances, regardless of what they looked like on His resume.

Nor did Jesus depend on people, at least not like I do. He asked the disciples to pray with Him, but He knew they were tired, unreliable and going to let Him down. Instead, He trusted His Father and the Holy Spirit.

My lessons yesterday were about learning to think like Jesus thinks. He gave me His mind (which is utterly amazing) and expects me to use it. That means being unconcerned about earthly success (no vanity, no pride) and no unrealistic expectations. I’m to trust God because, like the psalmist, I know where my help comes from. 

Finding a resting place

He makes me lie down in green pastures . . . (Psalm 23:2)

In comparing fearful and skittish sheep with my own anxieties, several issues come to mind. I just looked at the news and felt a knot in my gut over the girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria. I read about the priest who was shot without apparent reason in a small city north of here. Closer to home, I’m anxious that my husband has enough work this week to satisfy him, and that a plumber shows up today and fixes a leaky pipe. I also want to finish a quilt before a competition deadline, make some odd software work, and complete this week’s assignments for the course I’m taking. I am trusting God to keep my heart right before Him, a constant battle since beginning these studies, but those battles are an anxiety too. I need some green pastures.

Anxiety and worry are forms of fear, and have an element in them of control. That is, if I am completely trusting God and His loving care, these emotions go away because, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”

The Bible says “fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” It also says we don’t love God automatically, but love Him because he first loved us. (1 John 4:18–19) To say this in another way, if I am certain God loves me, I will not be anxious about things. Instead, when I am afraid, I will look to Him and enjoy the freedom of being fearless.

In the early days of God’s people, they had pulled out of Egypt and were in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. However, they had a problem. The people became impatient on the way and began to gripe against God and against Moses, their leader. God tolerates much, but griping is another way of expressing distrust and it raises His wrath.

They said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

So they came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” Moses prayed and the Lord told him to make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole. Everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live. In other words, look at it and they would not die. So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. (Numbers 21:4–9)

This seems an odd way of dealing with their sin of grumbling, but not so odd when the Apostle John uses it to illustrate why Jesus came . . .

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:14–17)

In other words, to be rescued from sin and to avoid eternal death, we must look at Jesus. It isn’t automatic, but requires looking. See Him lifted up on that cross, for by looking to Jesus, we are saved.

Hebrews tells me the same thing. In fighting sin or in struggles with fear and the temptation to worry or grumble, I am to consider Jesus . . .  

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1–3)

My fears are evidence that I’m not looking in the right direction, or trusting in the One who has so wonderfully rescued me from sin. Since fear has to do with punishment, I need to make certain my sins are confessed since unconfessed sin is often the reason I take my eyes off my Shepherd. Whenever I do that, I wander into rocky places instead of enjoying that green pasture that He promises.

Communion moments . . .

John Wallace advises that whenever my mind has nothing to fix itself on, drop my heart in prayer and use those moments to commune with God.

I don’t know what others do with those moments of nothing particular to think about. I know my imagination can wander, or I can worry, or allow negative thoughts. Wallace gives sound advice and those who follow it can have hearts that are “moving shrines” where God is continually worshiped and loved. Further, there is a sense of being at home with God and therefore never alone.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. (Psalm 62:5–7)

Each year, I select a theme verse. The one that has made the biggest impact on me is Psalm 27:8, “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’” In seeking the face of God, my heart reaches for Him and wins a lovely sense of His presence. Yes, I know He is always with me, yet these are occasions when I’m much more aware, much more in communion with Him.

The NT author of Hebrews gives similar advice as Wallace. He says to think about all that have been faithful witnesses to the glory of God and to be “looking to Jesus” . . .  

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1–3)

This focus has an effect, for human beings tend to become more like what we look at, what we focus on. While this fact can be distressing as young people imitate their idols, it is even humorous to see couples begin to look alike. In the early church, the people knew the disciples “had been with Jesus” no doubt because their faces reflected His.

Oh the wonder that Jesus lives in me. I “have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) because “God said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ and has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:6–7)

Today is Sunday, corporate worship. As Christians come together to seek the face of God, how blessed of Him to give me these thoughts at the beginning of this day.