Lent Reflection #27: Borrowed but not Blue
The Illusion of Spectacles by Skye Jethani
Mar 23, 2020
In the Old Testament, we read about Moses ascending the mountain to meet with the Lord. When he returned and gathered the people, they were terrified because Moses’ appearance had been transformed. His face radiated the glory of God, so Moses wore a veil to hide his transfigured appearance. In the New Testament, however, the Apostle Paul adds one important detail to the story. He says Moses wore a veil because he didn’t want the people to see that the glory was fading away. His transformation was only temporary. Paul uses this story to illustrate the difference between the old covenant given through Moses and the new covenant in Christ. The old way required climbing mountains or entering a temple to meet with God. And the transformation, while genuine, was only temporary.
Mar 23, 2020
In the Old Testament, we read about Moses ascending the mountain to meet with the Lord. When he returned and gathered the people, they were terrified because Moses’ appearance had been transformed. His face radiated the glory of God, so Moses wore a veil to hide his transfigured appearance. In the New Testament, however, the Apostle Paul adds one important detail to the story. He says Moses wore a veil because he didn’t want the people to see that the glory was fading away. His transformation was only temporary. Paul uses this story to illustrate the difference between the old covenant given through Moses and the new covenant in Christ. The old way required climbing mountains or entering a temple to meet with God. And the transformation, while genuine, was only temporary.
Unfortunately, many of us still hold to the model of Moses because we
believe transformation will happen through external events. We assume we
must have a mountaintop experience with God to be changed. But when the
glory fades, as it always does, we either hide the inglorious reality
of our lives behind a veil of religiosity, like Moses, or we look for a
bigger mountain offering a better experience of God. This is why we long
for more spectacular events, more elaborate worship gatherings, bigger
churches, and higher octane music and preaching. This mindset has fueled
a lot of contemporary Christianity, and it’s why the American church
had dedicated enormous resources to building bigger and better
mountaintops for people to climb.
But suddenly, because of the COVID-19 crisis, those mountains are now off-limits. The spectacular events engineered to make us feel close to God and transform us don’t have the same power when live-streamed on a 10-inch screen. How can we be changed without the spectacle? How can we reflect the Lord’s glory without encountering it on the mountaintop? Maybe this pandemic will break our addiction to the old covenant and open our eyes to the surpassing glory of the new.
Paul reminds us that, unlike Moses, we’ve been given access to God’s presence through his Spirit within us. We do not have to climb mountains, enter temples, or search for God through spectacular external events. Instead, we are invited to find him with us even in the most ordinary and mundane moments. Yes, even quarantined in our homes with our families. It is the quiet, inward movement of prayer rather than the loud, outward climbing of mountains that brings us into his presence and creates lasting transformation. Maybe we struggle to encounter God and reflect his character because we’re looking for him in the spectacular rather than in silence.
During this pandemic, rather than mourning the loss of mountaintops where you used to find God’s power, use these weeks to rediscover the true mystery of the gospel—Christ in you, the hope of glory.
2 Corinthians 3:7–18; Jeremiah 31:31–34; John 4:19–26
But suddenly, because of the COVID-19 crisis, those mountains are now off-limits. The spectacular events engineered to make us feel close to God and transform us don’t have the same power when live-streamed on a 10-inch screen. How can we be changed without the spectacle? How can we reflect the Lord’s glory without encountering it on the mountaintop? Maybe this pandemic will break our addiction to the old covenant and open our eyes to the surpassing glory of the new.
Paul reminds us that, unlike Moses, we’ve been given access to God’s presence through his Spirit within us. We do not have to climb mountains, enter temples, or search for God through spectacular external events. Instead, we are invited to find him with us even in the most ordinary and mundane moments. Yes, even quarantined in our homes with our families. It is the quiet, inward movement of prayer rather than the loud, outward climbing of mountains that brings us into his presence and creates lasting transformation. Maybe we struggle to encounter God and reflect his character because we’re looking for him in the spectacular rather than in silence.
During this pandemic, rather than mourning the loss of mountaintops where you used to find God’s power, use these weeks to rediscover the true mystery of the gospel—Christ in you, the hope of glory.
2 Corinthians 3:7–18; Jeremiah 31:31–34; John 4:19–26
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