“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.
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The Lord will work until the image of the humanity of God is wrought out and perfected in us, the image we were made at first, but which could never be developed in us except by the indwelling of the perfect likeness. By the power of Christ thus received and at home in us, we are changed—the glory in him becoming glory in us, his glory changing us to glory. But we must beware of receiving this or any symbol after the flesh, beware of interpreting it in any fashion that partakes of the character of the mere physical or psychical. The symbol deals with things far beyond the deepest region whence symbols can be drawn. The indwelling of Jesus in the soul of man, who shall declare! But let us note this, that the dwelling of Jesus in us is the power of the spirit of God upon us; for the “the Lord is that spirit,” and the Lord dwelling in us, we are changed “even as from the Lord the spirit.” When we think Christ, Christ comes; when we receive his image into our spiritual mirror, he enters with it. Our open receiving thought is his door to come in. When our hearts turn to him, that is opening the door to him, that is holding up our mirror to him; then he comes in, not by our thought only, but he comes himself, and of his own will—comes in as we could not take him, but as he can come and we receive him—enabled to receive by his very coming the one welcome guest of the whole universe. Thus the Lord, the spirit, becomes the soul of our souls, becomes spiritually what he always was creatively; and as our spirit informs, gives shape to our bodies, in like manner his soul informs, gives shape to our souls.
Commentary
by Jolyn Canty
If we understand His word and are obedient to His word in our lives, then we reflect His countenance as a mirror reflects what is before it. As I read MacDonald’s words, I am reminded of Psalms 34:5, They looked unto Him, and were radiant, and 2 Cor. 3:18, we all, with unveiled face beholding [or reflecting] as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are [being] transformed from glory to glory, even a by the Spirit of the Lord. Such verses show how this life may be reflected in ours. So, let us light up the path as we look to, trust, and obey Him. May we be like ships that silently move through the dark of night, leaving a shining track behind it. Let us look to Him daily, so that we continuously reflect Him and do not leave in our wake a dark countenance or moody foam, and allow no room for such a countenance in our sail.
