2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

When I read this verse, I could not help but think about the children’s story, “The Ugly Duckling” which wonderfully illustrates the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in believers. The story is about an ugly young bird who can’t fit in with any of the other animals. It’s not until he encounters the beautiful swans that his life starts changing. The swans are an irresistible attraction for the duckling, something he can’t forget after they leave for the winter.

Finally he makes the amazing discovery the following spring that in spite of his feelings of inferiority, he is not a duck but a swan, just like those creatures he has admired.

The days immediately following our conversion to Jesus are often similar to the ugly duckling’s final experiences. We have a great sense of sinful unworthiness and yet a powerful attraction to Jesus Christ.

We respond that way because we now know that character wise He represents all we were created to be. And we soon come to realize that it’s both a humbling and exciting process to be transformed into Christ’s image.

Today’s Scripture is an excellent short description of the Holy Spirit’s transforming work. We won’t see the glory of the Lord perfectly right away, but we begin to see it with greater clarity the longer we know Jesus Christ by faith.

Paul is referring to our basic sanctification, which is a progressive process by which the Holy Spirit changes us from one level of Christlikeness to another.

The end result will be our glorified position in Heaven, which is the Holy Spirit’s goal for us and the reason for our hope. The Holy Spirit reveals what we WILL be in Christ:

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Paul said it like this in (Philippians 1:6)

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

HALLELUJAH hold on brothers and sisters, our mighty God is in the process of making us into what He created and saved us to be and He will finish what He started!!