2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Change is a scary thing, I get it. A new job, a new city, and an overseas posting, oh yes, I get it, change can be scary. Just how scary does it sound to have someone in your face saying, “You’ve got to change!” Not just jobs, friends, or neighborhoods, but you need to change your identity.

I never had that happen to me. I did it to myself. I was disgusted with myself, but not everyone feels that way. They feel secure with their identity, and may have worked very hard on developing that image. Then someone comes along and says a graven image is one created by self-effort and God says you shall have no graven images before Him.

If you are rather pleased with yourself, you would reject that opinion. OK, I understand, but isn’t self-pleasing pride? Is pride a word you identify with? Some do. If you think I am about to slam a particular type of pride, forget it. The issue isn’t about the identity in pride, it is that identity is declared and defined by others. It isn’t even who you are as a person.

People tend to focus on the word image in today’s opening verse, because it is the easiest observation point. The real focus of that verse is glory that changes, from glory to glory. Now I was much better looking as an eighteen year old. My wife has pictures of me then and now. What isn’t seen, what isn’t obvious, is how much more glorious I am now.

Glory is the essence of God. Glory is not the outward and seeming but the inward and real. It is who I am in the most personal and inner parts of me. It is who I am and not an image that fades in time. It gets stronger, better, bolder and more humble.

Ephesians 3:16-19 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.