Click here to go to the Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:4-17

I often wonder why people get hurt. There is so much pain in the streets of life. And when you listen to all the stories, you find that it was the choices that people have made that caused so much pain. A man doesn’t get love at home, so he looks outside the boundaries of his marriage. Eventually he crosses those boundaries to get to his neighbour. Nobody wins in this one.

A friend trusts another man in business dealings. All goes well. The business grows and grows and the vacations and cars become bigger and bigger. Until one day when they have to cross a couple of difficult bridges. The other man doesn’t feel up to it, grabs the cheque book and fills his pockets. My friend is left with nothing. Actually, he is left with all the debt. There’s very little chance that he will ever be able to recover.

The problem is that people make their own decisions and do not go to God for advice. I don’t know if they’re afraid of God or whether they simply think He doesn’t care. Maybe it’s because they go through life with veils over their eyes.

When Moses returned after fetching the law from God on the mountain, his face glowed so much that he had to wear a veil. Paul used the same example of a veil to show that people were still wearing veils and not really seeing God. The veils must be removed before you can really see God: 16… Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence …

When we realise who God is, we will see that He is a loving God who really wants to help us not to make the wrong decisions at the crossroads in life. Then we can live a life without baggage. Then we can be really free to enjoy life. But even more, we can radiate it towards other people still wearing veils. O, the world needs God so much. They need to have the veils removed from their faces.

17… We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. 18And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

It’s simple. If we go through life wearing a veil, we will knock our toes against the stones all the time and we may trip and fall face first in the dust. We make our own decisions, which is so dangerous. And if we can’t see God, how can we reach Him to ask for guidance. But even worse, we can’t show God to the rest of the world, because how can you reflect something if you’re wearing a veil? Everybody lose, one poor choice after another.

Let’s stop this evil cycle. It will start by inviting the Holy Spirit inside to remove the veil from our faces. Then we can see God. Then we can see what He did for us on the cross and we can leave all our baggage there. We are free. Free of ourselves. Free to be restricted to our own decisions. God helps us to make the right choices through the work of the Holy Spirit. But more, we can show it to others. People will see the glory of God shining from us and they will see God.

Then we can make better choices. Then we can help others to make better choices. With the Holy Spirit’s help the veils can be removed from our faces and we will see God.

Reflection

How long is your veil?

Can you see God?

What do your decisions look like?

Prayer

Father, I understand why I have made a few choices in my life that weren’t so good. Some caused lots of pain and sadness. I know that some of them were quite  short-sighted, because I also hid behind a veil. Therefore, I ask you, Lord, to help me remove the veil so that I can see You better and get to know you as well. The my choices will be so much netter.. Amen