BELOVED ONE

“We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”—2 Corinthians 3:13–18

One of the great joys of being a parent is playing peek-a-boo with your child. You cover yourself up in a sheet while the child awaits with full anticipation. At the perfect moment, the sheet is lifted, you yell “peek-a-boo,” and the child laughs and squeals and inevitably asks for “more.” There’s so much joy at the revealing of your faces. Your eyes lock with one another, and you relish in the face-to-face communion you now have.

In 2 Corinthians 3, we see the concept of a veil. This veil was containing and hiding God’s glory from His children; it was like hiding under a sheet. We see veils around us today that keep us from seeing God’s full glory. We see sin, shame, legalism, and religion all keep us blind, waiting in anticipation to see our Father’s face.

In verse 16, we see a beautiful work that was done for us in Jesus, that in Him, this veil that blinds us is lifted and removed. Not because of some kind of understanding we have or achievement of our own, but because of Christ this veil is lifted. In Christ, the torn veil is achieved through His torn body. Through Him becoming our sin and taking on our old image, we get to become beloved sons and daughters of God. It’s us finally seeing our Father after longing for Him our whole lives.

Have you ever been face-to-face with someone? It can be kind of an awkward experience.You see things you wouldn’t otherwise see from a distance. You see a freckle you didn’t know they had, you see a piece of their lunch in their teeth, you smell their breath, yuck. We only rarely get face-to-face with someone unless we really know them. What if it was someone you really, really knew like a spouse, a beloved parent, or your child. Being face-to-face with someone you really know isn’t as uncomfortable—you just feel close to them.

This is what’s happening in verses 16–18. Through the body of Christ and a lifted veil, we can come face-to-face with God and be transformed, as the Scriptures say, “into his image with ever-increasing glory.” What kind of love is this that we can be face-to-face with God?No more fear, no more shame, fully known, and fully loved by God.

The song “Beloved One” invites us into this reality, where we can be unveiled before God.As you listen, hear your Father say “beloved son/daughter” over you.

Pause: Do you feel like you can come close to God? If not, what keeps you from drawing close?

Practice: In your prayer time with God, ask Him what it means to be face-to-face with Him.Then thank Him you’re being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.

Pray: Father, I thank You for lifting the veils in my life. I thank You I no longer have anything separating me from You and I get to be called Your beloved son/daughter.Even though the veils feel real in my life, I thank You that Your Word over me is better and stronger than anything I face and experience. Father, show me what it means to be in face-to-face communion with You. Show me what it looks like to know You like this so I can love myself and others around me the way You would. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

"Beloved One" Lyrics

Verse

I lay aside my understanding

I put my work down and the planning

Just to know you

And know your heart

Without a word or destination

You held me in your imagination

Now I know you

And know your heart

Chorus

You come with Your love

I come in the blood

Throw open the doors

Right to your heart

Before You in love

I can’t get enough

I hear you call my name

Beloved one

Verse

Where did I pick up the thought

The measure of love was what I brought

And to know you

Was to learn more things

Day by day I start to see

The cross goes deeper than I believed

The great finisher

Has finished me

Bridge

Oh I feel you coming in close

Like when I was formed

fashioned with glory

Oh, I feel it in my bones

Like I was reborn

Filled with your glory