If the only mirror we ever see ourselves in is horribly cracked, we will never have a completely clear idea of what we look like. We will only be able to see pieces of our face and it will always be crazily distorted.
My friend, we are created in the image of God and for His glory. What an amazing thought that we were created to represent God and to reflect His glory! Before the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve’s mirror was unblemished and they knew exactly who they were—the pinnacle of God’s creation.
But their choice to sin cracked the mirror.
Every person born since then lost the ability to see the glory God intended. Instead, the image we see is completely fallen. It is nearly impossible to see any evidence of the Holy God we were represented to create. When we look in the mirror, we see the “works of the flesh” because sin signed the death warrant on our soul and spirit. The Bible says:
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
But, my friend…there is REDEEMING hope in Jesus!
We don’t have to see ourselves through a cracked mirror. When we are born again, Jesus gives us a new mirror with no cracks. He paid the ULTIMATE price so our soul and spirit can be made perfectly righteous.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
After we receive His gift of salvation, our soul and spirit possess everlasting life and cannot sin. But our flesh, which has the nature of fallen man, is constantly wrestling against our now-righteous soul and spirit. Thus, we are admonished to live according to the guidance of God’s Spirit:
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Galatians 5:16-18a
My friends, nothing can shatter the new mirror God gives us when we’re born again because—we can’t EVER lose our salvation! However, we can sure make that mirror dirty enough that we can’t see the glorious person God created us to be! In Christ, we no longer have to live in slavery to sin! The Bible says:
…our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Romans 6:6
That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24
When we discipline ourselves to live God’s way AND equally important—learn to love HIM with all our heart, soul and mind—we wipe the dirt off our mirror. We are able to see the glorious image of God—in our own face. We love who He made us. We are affirmed in ways that we can never be affirmed by any other person. We see ourselves in the light of the glorious presence of God. We see ourselves as we are and it motivates us to live for the GREAT purpose for which we were created!
…whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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