CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS
"And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (The Message Bible)
BIBLE READING: GENESIS 5:1; PSALM 36:9; HEBREWS 1:3
Authentic Christianity is extremely scarce in its Purest Form in most parts of the world in which we live today. Genuine Christian believers are referred to by the Apostle Paul as "an Epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the Living God..." (2Cor. 3:3a). Simply put, we as Christian believers are expected to be the Embodiment of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a Precious Resource which unbelievers can easily gain access to in order to obtain Salvation. The onus, therefore, lies upon us to experience a Radical Inner Change as we start becoming transformed into His Own Likeness.
An alarmingly great number of professing Christians today have had their Christian Witness severely undermined and rendered totally ineffective due to a lack of Quality Time spent with the Lord in His Presence. It is practically impossible for one to fully represent any person that one doesn't really know. This is one major reason the heart cry of Apostle Paul to the Church in Philippi in particular (and the Body of Christ in general) stands out like a sore thumb: "THAT I MAY KNOW HIM and the Power of His Resurrection and the Fellowship of His Sufferings, being conformed to His Death"(Phil. 3:10). Translated from the literal Greek into the English Language, the word "know" in the aforementioned Scripture is derived from the word "ginosko" which literally means "knowledge obtained by intimate experience." We obtain this Knowledge whenever we spend Quality Time with the Lord in the Place of Prayer and Worship, basking in the Fragrance of His Glory. We become transformed into His Likeness anytime we abide in His Presence, becoming a Bodily Expression of His Glory (Ex. 34:33-35).
The One Who you constantly behold is eventually who you become as a person. The tragic fact of the matter is that multitudes profess a Jesus Christ they don't even know which is betrayed by their interaction with others. The Holy Spirit greatly desires Intimacy with us, but the reverse is seldom the case even though it ought to be (Jam. 4:8a). The Lord God Almighty grant us the Grace to become the Express Image of our Lord Jesus Christ so that all men would behold Him in and through us at all times.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, to You alone do we ascribe all the Glory, Honour and Adoration. O Lord, please grant us the Grace to tarry in Your Presence and become transformed into Your Image and Likeness in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.