Monday, January 23, 2012 - Blurry Lights and Lifted Veils

     The heavy fog yesterday made us feel like we were walking through an eerie movie set.  It was thick enough to hide what normally stood in plain sight.  Blurry headlights and street lights kept us on track as we navigated our way to the church building.
     The "fog" lifted for about 15 youth at Reality Weekend as they chose to make Jesus Lord of their lives.  Like all of us, they had wandered through the fog of not understanding what God wants to give them and what He wants from them.  While they wandered and searched, imperfect believers served as blurry lights who helped them stay on track toward finding their own relationships with God. Now the veils are lifted, they see with new eyes, they've found the Way, and they'll walk in the Light. 
     Satan wants us to believe our sinful tendencies and imperfections make us poor lights for God, but a poor, fuzzy, blurry light can get another wanderer safely to the next point where another poor, fuzzy, blurry light may take over.  God asks us to face Him and "as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more." Satan wants to us darkened with shame and despair, barely flickering as weak witnesses, but God says "Face Me and let My Son's sacrifice and the Light of My Love fill you with bold confidence to let Me use you anywhere, anytime, with anyone."  (2 Corinthians 3:12) 

"And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ." 

2 Corinthians 3:14b

"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away.  

Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, He gives freedom.  

And all of us have had that veil removed 

so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. 

And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, 

we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more." 

2 Corinthians 3:16

Lord, Satan tempts us to excuse our laziness with false humility and to excuse our false humility with human nature.  You work through the weakest light to draw others to You.  We're the weakest lights on most days - especially Mondays - but we ask You to power us up as we face You to worship You.  Lift the veils of self, busy-ness, false humility, and fear so we can see what Satan tries to hide from us: Your Power, Your forgiveness, Your unconditional Love, Your Mercy.  He paints You quite differently than You are.  May we thirst after our own unhindered view of You!

In the Name of Jesus Whose death tore the veil in the temple from top to bottom, opening Your Presence to all who accept You as Lord