He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

2 Corinthians 3:6-18

Dear God, it seems like I say this all of the time, but I really underestimate the Holy Spirit, and I really don’t think about or lean on the Holy Spirit enough. In all of the arguments over the law vs grace and all of that, the thing I tend to forget is letting go of all of that and just leaning on the presence, comfort, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Even now, as I sit here this evening and type this prayer to you, how much am I talking to the Father in heaven and ignoring the Father’s Holy Spirit living in me. Are my prayers focused up or in? When I pray for my friends/family who are facing serious challenges, or when I pray for myself and the decisions or circumstances facing me, why do I forget about the counselor and comforter that Jesus sent us after he ascended to heaven?]

Father (and Holy Spirit), help me to be so in tune with you in every moment that your glory will shine off of me. If people around me see my life as “goals,” then let them see the path to the shine they see on me be a relationship with you. Be glorified in their lives. Be glorified through me. Use my life as you will–for your glory and not mine.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen