From Glory To Glory

And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2nd Corinthians 3:18)

On the day my wife and I were married, she chose (and maybe I helped) to have the congregation sing Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, a hymn by Charles Wesley. I don't remember much about the song other than singing it helped me to calm down. I was so overwhelmed by love that I could barely breathe. My knees were knocking and she practically had to hold me up.  God's presence was thick in the room.

Take a look at the text of the hymn.

1. Love divine, all loves excelling, 
 joy of heaven, to earth come down; 
 fix in us thy humble dwelling; 
 all thy faithful mercies crown! 
 Jesus thou art all compassion, 
 pure, unbounded love thou art; 
 visit us with thy salvation; 
 enter every trembling heart. 

2. Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit 
 into every troubled breast! 
 Let us all in thee inherit; 
 let us find that second rest. 
 Take away our bent to sinning; 
 Alpha and Omega be; 
 end of faith, as its beginning, 
 set our hearts at liberty. 

3. Come, Almighty to deliver, 
 let us all thy life receive; 
 suddenly return and never, 
 nevermore thy temples leave. 
 Thee we would be always blessing, 
 serve thee as thy hosts above, 
 pray and praise thee without ceasing, 
 glory in thy perfect love. 

4. Finish, then, thy new creation; 
 pure and spotless let us be. 
 Let us see thy great salvation 
 perfectly restored in thee; 
 changed from glory into glory, 
 till in heaven we take our place, 
 till we cast our crowns before thee, 
 lost in wonder, love, and praise.

If you follow the progression of the lyrics you can see the transformation of disciples in Wesley's hymn. I certainly felt the presence of God and the joy of heaven come down as I watched my bride come down the aisle. Did you know that the church is sometimes referred to as the "Bride of Christ?" Just as husband and wife begin a lifelong relationship with great love and joy, so do the Lord and His disciples.

The Bride of Christ

Wesley charts the transformation of disciples through these four stanzas. First begins the romance. Just as couples move in with one another in the holy covenant of marriage, Jesus moves into the heart of believers who welcome Him as Lord and Savior. Just as I brought my record collection and my guitars and photo albums to move into our new home together, Jesus also brings what He has to offer to His dwelling in our hearts. Jesus brings faithful mercies, compassion, pure, unbounded love, and salvation. 

I remember when Michele and I were first married, I had to travel a lot. She spent a lot of time at home alone, not knowing anyone in her new town. I was new there, too. I didn't know many either. I would console her over the phone and when I got home I spent time trying to help her feel more at ease with her new life. She does the same for me. Even now when I've had a rough day, her embrace reduces my stress. I can feel it melting away in her love and faithfulness. I often tell her she is my quiet strength. 

Charles Wesley mentions in the second stanza a need for that second rest. The presence of the Holy Spirit breathes renewing life into us. The embrace of the Lord brings us peace that passes understanding. We can be up to our necks in alligators, so to speak, and still carry that peaceful rest within. This is what a relationship with Jesus Christ grows toward after the romance begins, the trust deepens as He proves His faithfulness over and over.

Michele and I both had to change in order to make our relationship work. Marriage is give and take. She had to learn to be more independent. I had to learn to be more open with her. In the same way our relationship with Jesus will change us. In order for us to deepen in love, some things have to go. Charles Wesley utters the prayer "take away our bent to sinning" and "set our hearts at liberty." Salvation isn't only forgiveness. That's just the beginning. Salvation is the reclamation of our lives. Jesus is rescuing us from the clutches of sin and freeing us to live in His love. His grace and love are powerful enough to break the bonds of sin. In our new freedom we pursue growing into the image of the One we love.

The third stanza speaks of the work of serving the Lord and worship. Worship is loving God. As we look upon the Lord's beauty we are transformed by Him. We grow toward the One we worship. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, we run the race set for us. We serve the Lord by doing as He did, teaching healing and liberating people with the saving power of the gospel. We continually seek to live lives that glory in Him. We live lives of worship. Even our service is worship when done with love for God . We celebrate His love and seek to please Him in all we do. Disciples feel most alive in the gathering as we worship the Lord. In worship our hearts are fulfilled. Disciples meet Jesus in the people they lovingly serve. Christ fills the serving disciples who glory in Him. We are home!

I think of the times I was on the road and away from Michele. I couldn't wait to get back to her. Even now we are separated because of our careers. I can't wait to see her again and I slightly ache when she leaves to go each week. In the same way the disciple longs to be in worship, in the house of the Lord. And she looks forward to the days when she shall never be separated from the Lord. The Lord deepens our love in this way, such that we thirst for Him as a deer pants for water in a dry and thirsty land.

The disciple's body is the temple where the Lord dwells. The third stanza of Wesley's hymn says "nevermore Thy temples leave." This line expresses our desire to be united with Christ always, to continually be in communion with the Spirit until sensing His presence is never broken. Even with Michele separated from me, she is still with me always. We communicate daily. I feel her in my heart. In the same way a disciple grows to the place where Christ's indwelling Spirit inhabits us to the point we no longer question whether He is there or not. Even when we cannot feel Him, He is with us just as He promised to always be.

As disciples live lives of worship and service, seeking to glorify the Lord in all they do, they long to be united completely with Jesus. God's grace is making us more and more like Jesus. Take a look at Paul's words from 2nd Corinthians 3:18. We all reflect the Lord's glory. Another way to say it is that we all behold the Lord's glory as if looking in a mirror. Our hearts tuned toward the Lord is like having our faces turned toward Jesus' face. As we behold His face, our faces, and the rest of us, begins to reflect His image. 

When I think of my marriage to Michele I know that my love for her will continue to grow and deepen. I know she and I will be one flesh as promised by God. I look forward to God fulfilling his promise. 

The last stanza of Wesley's hymn, he shares our great hope to be one with God. We long to have God finish His new creation in us, to finish His restoration work on our lives. Our journey to perfection in Christ is one that is lifelong here on earth toward an eternity of glorious union. We are transformed from one level of glory to the next as God grows us in His love. God will grow us until we are completely united with Him.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. (1st Thessalonians 5:23-24)