Reflections In A Mirror

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.     –  Romans 7:15-25

I am of the age that I do not like looking in the mirror much. What I see is not what I expect to see. Every time! I look expecting to see me and what I see is a morphing of me, my dad, and my mom’s dad looking back at me. It has the effect of one of those 3D pictures that you look at from different angles and see different pictures. The effect is not thrilling. So I sometimes dread, especially when I am tired or sick, going to the mirror at all.

You know what though? I think I would rather look at that image than looking at myself in a spiritual mirror. If the physical mirror was that bad, just think about what the spiritual reflection would look like…..

I look in that spiritual mirror and I can see Adam. Adam took fruit and ate it – the only fruit in the garden that was forbidden – and he went for it. If it had been me, would I do the same thing? A resounding yes! As a baby, we are told constantly don’t put your hand on the hot stove and we go straight for it. That pattern continues through life – we are always going for things that we know we should avoid, but something draws us to it anyway.

I look in the spiritual mirror and I see Abraham. Abraham lied. Twice! He kept trying to pawn Sarah off as his sister so that he could go through other kingdoms without himself getting overtaken by the kings of those kingdoms. Would I have done that? Probably. We are always doing things to take short cuts and avoid confrontations. Sneaking around and going in the back way. We, as people are good at that.

I look in the spiritual mirror and I see David. David was at the wrong place at the wrong time (when he was supposed to be at battle he decided to take a rest); and because of that he kept making wrong decisions. He dipped into lust, fornication, and then murder. All because he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to do. We should be in the spiritual battle for the Lord, but we are constantly stepping out of the battle, being where we shouldn’t be, doing what we should not be doing.

I look in that spiritual mirror and I see Thomas. Thomas would not believe that Jesus had risen (as he had said), until he had placed his hands in the holes in Christ’s hand and side, even though the other ten disciples and numerous others attest to the fact that they had seen Jesus. Would that have been me? More than likely. We want to see some proof! We cannot take your word for it anymore. We are all that way.

I look in the spiritual mirror and I see Ananias, who along with his wife made a promise to the Lord to give a certain amount of money when they sold their land. Evidently they got more for it than they thought and decided it wouldn’t hurt to just keep some of it for themselves. I suppose you will tell me that you have never broken a promise to God like that. We do it constantly. We ask God for something, promising to give of ourselves – then we forget or decide it is not convenient. No one will see. Remember God does see, and he even knows when you are contemplating breaking those promises to Him.

I could go on with example after example. That 3D picture in the spiritual mirror is acting like a kaleidoscope of different historical figures from the Scriptures, I look in that mirror and see all sorts of situations in the Bible, that if I had been there, would more than likely have done the exact same thing – or worse.

  What conclusion can I come to by looking in this mirror? The only conclusion that I can come to – I have no goodness in me. The only way that mirror can reflect good is if Christ stands in front of it with forgiveness – for me! Then and only then – when God looks at us He sees us through His son. His son covers up all those things that I see. Everything I have, everything I am, is as filthy rags. I have not merit of my own. Christ has covered me through His life, death, and resurrection. I am now able to come to God through Christ. 

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.    John 14:1-7

AE