AN OPEN FACE
The apostle Paul writes, “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The root word for “open face” here has an amazing definition. It means being totally committed to allowing God to expose every hidden thing in your heart—for the purpose of being delivered from it all.
This kind of open face cries out, “Try me, Lord; see if there is any wicked way in me. Show me where I’m living contrary to Your Word. I want to be delivered from everything that is unlike you. Away with all my pride, my ambitions, my selfish intellect, my reasoning. I know I can’t think my way out of my situation. Holy Spirit, I need Your power and wisdom. I lay down every hope of solving things my own way.”
For many believers, this is a very difficult thing to do. They have survived their whole Christian lives on their wits and wisdom. And now to have to admit to bungling things up and needing to give up control is just too hard.
The Lord had to strip me of my pride in this area years ago. Now, thank the Lord, I freely admit whenever I mess things up. My constant prayer is, “God, I do such dumb things. I make such awful mistakes, get myself into terrible messes. Please, Lord, clear them up for me. I can’t do it. Only You can.” Thankfully, God delights in fixing our messes when we seek to do His will.
The glass Paul speaks of in this passage means mirror. And, beloved, our mirror is God’s Word. It alone accurately reflects back to us our condition. Paul is telling us, “Go to the mirror of God’s truth, and behold your life. Tell the Lord you’re on the wrong course, and you want to be changed. Ask His Spirit to humble you and to open up His Word to you. Forsake others’ advice, your own ideas, your own contrivances. Instead, turn to the Holy Ghost in full trust. Believe what He says to you.”
If you will rely solely on the Holy Spirit, turning away from all other helps, He will unveil your eyes. He’ll also send Holy Ghost-led helpers into your life and you will begin to change in that very moment.
This kind of open face cries out, “Try me, Lord; see if there is any wicked way in me. Show me where I’m living contrary to Your Word. I want to be delivered from everything that is unlike you. Away with all my pride, my ambitions, my selfish intellect, my reasoning. I know I can’t think my way out of my situation. Holy Spirit, I need Your power and wisdom. I lay down every hope of solving things my own way.”
For many believers, this is a very difficult thing to do. They have survived their whole Christian lives on their wits and wisdom. And now to have to admit to bungling things up and needing to give up control is just too hard.
The Lord had to strip me of my pride in this area years ago. Now, thank the Lord, I freely admit whenever I mess things up. My constant prayer is, “God, I do such dumb things. I make such awful mistakes, get myself into terrible messes. Please, Lord, clear them up for me. I can’t do it. Only You can.” Thankfully, God delights in fixing our messes when we seek to do His will.
The glass Paul speaks of in this passage means mirror. And, beloved, our mirror is God’s Word. It alone accurately reflects back to us our condition. Paul is telling us, “Go to the mirror of God’s truth, and behold your life. Tell the Lord you’re on the wrong course, and you want to be changed. Ask His Spirit to humble you and to open up His Word to you. Forsake others’ advice, your own ideas, your own contrivances. Instead, turn to the Holy Ghost in full trust. Believe what He says to you.”
If you will rely solely on the Holy Spirit, turning away from all other helps, He will unveil your eyes. He’ll also send Holy Ghost-led helpers into your life and you will begin to change in that very moment.