Have you ever looked into a mirror from years ago? Antique mirrors have a film throughout them that does not allow you to see yourself clearly, they are foggy and cloudy. You can see yourself, but your reflection is distorted.
In our reading for today, 1 Corinthians 13, Paul uses this illustration of how we are limited to fully see and understand spiritual things. The antique mirror is also a reflection of how we reflect Jesus to the people around us. But, someday soon, we will be changed. We will finally see God fully, without any distorted image.
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:12-13
When the Lord returns, or when we arrive in Heaven, we will finally be changed. Then we will finally see God fully. There will not be anymore distorted images.
Psalm 139 makes us aware that God fully knows and understands us right where we are. Even before we express a word, we are already known to Him.
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
Psalm 139:1-2
1 Corinthians 13:12 tells us that one day we will one day be able to understand God completely. We will be able to express perfect love to the Father. We will also be able to show love toward one another perfectly.
Here on earth we are growing in faith, hope and love. But, in Heaven we will be focused on love alone. Faith and hope will be completed. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church because they were missing the most important aspect – love. Spiritual gifts (read about them in 1 Corinthians 12) are important here on earth. But love is the most important gift of them all. Spiritual gifts will one day pass away for those that love Jesus. But love will last forever. God sees us fully now and we will one day fully know Him.
We are fully known and loved by God. Look in your mirror, you see what is on the outside. God sees you from the inside out, you are fully known by Him.