Image of Christ

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”    (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)

The other morning as I began getting my breakfast, it was pitch dark outside.  But in a matter of seconds, beautiful colors of pink morning light began to appear.  I stopped and looked toward the light as the sun began to rise.  I could actually see its movement upward and outward, awakening creation.  I thought of God’s mercies, how they are new every morning.  

As the colors faded into the background, the brightness of the sun shone through.   The trees seemed to sift its rays, but they pierced through, lighting the whole room with the sun's glow.  I felt my face brighten.  Then I thought:  I wonder what Moses felt like as his face glowed with the glory of God from being in His presence? 

Wanting to grow in my own personal relationship with God, I have been on a quest, reading and talking to people about their intimacy with God.  It is so interesting to me, the different ways we seek God’s face, and how He has brought each one of us to that point.   Some see the Spirit bring Scripture into their relationship.  Others love to write, create, and listen.  Then there are those who see evidence of Him in His creation.  We might use prayer journals, meditate over devotionals about Scripture or the truth of God, or just be silent, praying for His presence and the assurance of His love. 

My times alone used to be consumed with study and words and theology.  This can be good but it does not mean you have met with God.  The knowledge has to move from the head to the heart.  Over the years the Spirit has taught me to pray in ways I never had before.  It has been out of my desperation of physical and mental weakness I have learned to speak less and listen more.  I still love to read and study but it is for the purpose of drawing me into the heart of God.

When I became aware of a serious physical problem, a friend of mine told me about a couple* she knew to be prayer warriors.  I asked if we might go see them, wanting the lady to pray over me.  I remember going to that very small, humble home.  As we entered, my friend introduced us and told about my situation. There was a Presence there.  Peace, joy—a peaceful joy.  It was as if the couple and the room glowed with the glory of God.   I thought the lady would say some lengthy prayer and maybe lay hands on me.  Instead she said something like:  “Lord, you know why we are here and we ask that you heal and protect her.”  That was it!   We thanked her and left.  I was stunned.  Her husband spoke to me on the way out.  Again, I was moved, seeing that this couple was different.  I wanted what they had.  They obviously walked with God.

Without having a name for it or an explanation, although I did have the Bible, I began to learn what it means to “pray without ceasing.”  Brother Lawrence talks about praying short prayers throughout his day of work washing dishes—praying sentence prayers.  Henri Nouwen in “The Way of The Heart” talks about heart prayers.  He says, “The prayer of the heart challenges us to hide absolutely nothing from God, and to surrender ourselves unconditionally to his mercy.”

As we pursue this kind of prayer we learn who we are, and it leads us into true relationship with God.  What is in the mind descends into the heart.  There, we can be in the continual presence of God where nothing separates us.  It might mean taking a verse you have read during the morning and then allowing the Spirit to bring it into your heart.  Something as simple as:  “The Lord is my Shepherd.”  You look to Him to lead and guide you all day long.  His heart speaks to your heart, turning your every thought into prayer.   There is a continual yielding or struggling, a sharing of our heart and receiving of His heart. The heart is the place where Christ dwells in us.  (See 2 Corinthians 13:5)  This is not a burden but a rest.  It is where compassion ministry begins. 

The more we are in His presence the more we are transformed into His image—the more Christ lives through us.  His glory is revealed in us.  This is not something we can do, but a promise that has been made to us.   In fact, our natural reaction is often to run away from God, not to Him.  We are preoccupied with self, our accomplishments, approval, guilt, shame, or reputation.  But God is continually calling us to be in His presence.  Our heart longs for that because His heart longs for it even more.  So as we persevere in seeking Him, that discipline of prayer without ceasing develops and we learn to walk in His love.  

Prayer:

God, to think that we are to continually be with you seems overwhelming.  But we look to you in faith, knowing that it is you who will bring this about in us as you call us to seek your face.  You will transform us into the image of Christ.  May we focus on you and your glory that is revealed in us.  Teach us this, I pray.

(*Note:  Charles and Thelma Duncan were truly a unique couple.  Anyone who met them walked away feeling like they had been in God's presence.  

Charles served in World War II carrying Thelma's picture in a Bible in his pocket, having asked her to wait for him.  But during a guard assignment on a demolitions train, the demolitions exploded causing him to suffer severe head trauma.  When he returned home, he and Thelma married as planned, and he became a pastor.  God gave them two sons and one daughter.  But, unfortunately, the long-term results of the injuries Charles had sustained caused flashbacks, tremendous ringing in his ears, sleeplessness, and night sweats.  He lived with intense pain.  Thelma was ever vigilant to her husband’s needs—ever his loving helpmate, spiritual soul mate, and tenacious prayer partner.

Charles’ final pastorate before retiring was in a relatively small Arkansas town.  Charles said that there were many nights he would go to the church after his family went to bed, lay himself over the altar and pray as Dwight Moody once did, that if God could use one man, he was willing to be that man.  God answered, giving Charles a vision to build a sanctuary to hold 3,000.  The townspeople thought he was misguided—that the area didn't support that size of congregational membership.  But his church followed his lead.  The sanctuary was built and God filled it.  It was truly a miraculous God-thing.

After retiring, the Duncans dedicated a room in their house as a prayer room.  They began posting pictures of the many people who requested their intercessions.  They lived their lives with an overriding, quiet confidence in God.  They never seemed distraught, although they often had serious prayer needs of their own, but were always sustained by a quiet confidence in God's control of their lives.