Deuteronomy 19-21

Mark 13:21-37

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” —Romans 3:23

What is the “glory of God?” We often hear it said of a person who died, that they have “gone to glory”, meaning they have “gone to heaven.” In Scripture, however, glory is not spoken of as “heaven.” While it is true that people are restored to glory in heaven, “glory” is not a place; it is actually the moral character of God.

In the opening verse of this devotion, Paul says we all fall short of the glory of God. The biggest problem we have is sin, because sin is what separates us from God. We are born into this fallen condition in which we have an inherently sinful nature and, therefore, we sin. By sending His Son, God provided the remedy in Christ paying the penalty for our sin and being the means whereby we are being transformed to the image of God. Paul says, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord…” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

There is both a present and future dimension to being restored to glory. In our present lives, there is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit in which we are growing spiritually with “ever-increasing glory” to the likeness of Christ. Though we will never reach perfection in this life, there is anticipation, a moving forward and the hope of a promise yet to be fulfilled. Paul writes about the future dimension when he says, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). In other words, the day will come when we will actually be like Christ and know Him as fully as He knows us.

The hope of glory is that we are being conformed to the image of Christ. In the busyness of our lives, this may not seem a pressing matter, especially when we are promised to be fully conformed in the afterlife. With hectic, demanding schedules, we may tend to forget or even neglect the Holy Spirit’s presence in us, but the goal of the gospel is that here and now we are attaining to the likeness of Christ. To not take seriously God’s intent for us is to not take seriously the indwelling of His Spirit, which He graciously gives us, not only as our means of being made like His Son, but so that He may accomplish the explicit plan He has ordained for each of us while on this earth.

Dear Lord, I ask for a deep work of Your Holy Spirit in me, so that I am increasingly conformed to Your likeness and equipped to fulfill Your purpose for me. Thank You, Lord.