Jesus: You can look at the moon and see her in all her glory. She perfectly represents my bride, as she too is bright and radiant, and sits as a lamp-post against the darkness of the night sky. However, it is only by the light of the sun, she can be seen. It is only the light of the sun she reflects to the world; she has no light of her own. But, because your eyes are able to look upon her, you can see how beautiful she is, and she’s incredible. 

Think of the moon compared with the sun. You can’t look at the sun! The sun is too bright! It is too radiant, too powerful, too overwhelming. But by it, you can see the moon and everything else. This is like Me, I am too bright for you to set your eyes upon, but You see me reflected in the church, My bride. This is why she is so beautiful to you. In her, you see Me. 

Woah.

A whole bunch of scriptures come to mind, such as God hiding Moses in the rock so he could only see His back as He passed. Otherwise Moses would die! I think of Paul being blinded by the light of Christ, and the crowd falling to the ground when Jesus said “I am He”.

I am reminded o a day a long time ago when I had a glimpse of the bride of Christ. I did not see her apart from in Christ; she wasn’t separate from Christ. She has no glory of her own. It is only in Christ she is made so beautiful. It is only in Christ she even exists. All her illumination only exists because of the radiance that comes from the Son. When you think about it, she is only illuminating Him so in effect; it is only Christ we see in her.

No wonder she is so breathtaking; she displays Him!

One day, with unveiled faces, as when the bridegroom lifts the veil from his bride, we will see Him, our Bridegroom, face to face. On that day, we will be able to look at Him, in His glory, and behold Him all together.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face…(1 Corinthians 13:12).

Until that day, we see Him in each one. In each song, psalm, teaching or revelation that each member brings; in each smile, hug, laugh, tear. In each member of the body of Christ, we see a radiant reflection of our Jesus, in whom it pleased ‘the fullness’ to dwell.

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 (2 Corinthians 3:18).