Summer reminds us of clear schedules, jumping in pools, fireworks, camping, travel. Even if now we’re working in office buildings or attempting to balance three camps, VBS, and potty training, summer still conveys a feeling of freedom. Whether we actually feel the breeze in our hair as we attempt to touch the sky on a swing or not, we feel freer come June.
As we focus on a word each month this year, we want to focus this month on freedom.
The verse we decided to focus on this month is 2 Corinthians 3:17.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
We chose this verse at the end of last year, and to be completely honest, when we looked at it again yesterday, it took us more than a minute to wrap our heads around what Paul was talking about here. Let’s look a little more at the context of this verse.
Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stones, came with glory, so that the Israelites were not able to look directly at Moses’ face because of the glory from his face—a fading glory— 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness overflows with even more glory. 10 In fact, what had been glorious is not glorious now by comparison because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was fading away was glorious, what endures will be even more glorious.
12 Therefore, having such a hope, we use great boldness. 13 We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not stare at the the end of what was fading away, 14 but their minds were closed. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. 15 Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:7-18
In this passage, Paul is referring to Moses’ face after he met with God in Exodus 34. In that story, Moses comes down from the mountain after seeing God and getting the Law and his face is shining. It kind of freaks everyone out a little bit. So Moses begins to wear a veil when he is not meeting with Yahweh. Paul is talking about this story here because in Exodus 34, Moses’ face is literally reflecting the glory of God. He is radiant with God’s glory.
The glory on Moses’ face eventually fade. However, Paul gives the Corinthians (and us) hope. We are not under the ministry of death, the Law chiseled in stone. We are part of the ministry of the Spirit, the ministry of righteousness through Jesus. This ministry removes the veil of the Law because Jesus sets it aside (v. 14). Whenever we turn to the Lord, the veil is removed and we reflect the glory of God. Because the Spirit is in us, this glory will not fade.
The glory of God was reflected in Moses’ face after he met with Yahweh, the One who delivered His people out of slavery. That same Yahweh delivered His people out of the bondage of sin through His Son, Jesus (Luke 4:18-19). Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We are free to live in the boldness of a hope in a glory that never fades.
This month, as we bask in the freedom that is summertime, let’s also remember we can live in the freedom of a hope that will be fulfilled. We’d love for you to memorize 2 Corinthians 3:17 with us this month and meditate on what it means to be free in Christ.
Use the hashtag #PrayersFor2016 so we can pray with you! We’ve included several wallpapers and art below so that you can memorize and cultivate this verse in your heart this month. Just right click to download from a computer or tap and hold to download on your phone.
Instagram/Social Media Art
Phone Wallpaper:
Facebook Cover Art:
Computer Wallpaper 1920×1080:
Computer Wallpaper 1280×1024:
