“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, NASB).
“The same Greek word for “glory” is used twice in the phrase from glory to glory, yet each usage refers to something different. The first “glory” is that of the Old Covenant—the Law of Moses—while the second is that of the New Covenant, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both have astonishing splendor.
The Old Covenant was given to Moses directly from God, written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18). That root of our Christian faith is glorious indeed; it’s the glory we’re coming “from.” Yet the New Covenant, the glory we’re going “to,” far surpasses that of the Old.
“But, as we move from glory to glory, there’s something even more important about the glory of the New Covenant that Christians must understand: its supernatural power to transform us. And that brings us to God’s ultimate purpose and destination for every believer, to transform us into the image of his own beloved Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:28–30; Philippians 3:20–21)
“Before he finishes with the topic of being transformed from glory to glory, Paul presents yet one more astonishing claim: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Online Ask Recommended Resource: 1 & 2 Corinthians, Holman New Testament Commentary by Richard Pratt
I’m still trying to take it all in! The photos are breathtaking because I’v heard the end. Glory to Glory! This is the invitation the Lord makes to all that call out to Him (Psalm 145:18) to have our lives radically transformed here and now, by opening our eyes to see the glorious journey He is taking us on “from glory to glory.”
thedailylily.com 
Sara, your pictures are so beautiful and inspiring, particularly in the setting of the scriptures you shared!
This example of God’s wonders at work brings us such an encouraging story and promise to pause and reflect on. As I read this scripture, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,8 for those who are called according to his purpose” and looked at that beautiful caterpillar having to slowly move from ground to stalk to feed on leaf and then repeat and repeat. Such work and toil to grow until one day she makes her final arduous ascent …and then hangs in a J until confined to the constriction of a tight cocoon. There where unseen beauty and freedom at last is being formed.
It really does show us just what you quoted, Sara, “its supernatural power to transform us.”
The footnotes for second Corinthians 3: 18 says: (NLT) “ The glory that the Spirit imparts to the believer is more excellent and lasts longer than the glory that Moses experienced. By gazing at the nature of God with unveiled minds, we can be more like him. In the Good News, we see the truth about Christ, and it transforms us morally as we understand and apply it. Through learning about Christ’s life, we can understand how wonderful God is and what he is really like. As our knowledge deepens, the Holy Spirit helps us to change. Becoming Christlike is a progressive experience (see Romans 8:29; Galatians 4:19; Philippians 3:21; John 3:2). The more closely we follow Christ, the more we will be like him.” The pictures above have unbelievable beauty. To think that caterpillar 🐛 can become that gorgeous butterfly!?! 🦋 I don’t believe 🤔 that happens overnight?
Thanks Debi and Tammy, so exciting to read your sharing and pause to think about the encouragement you both offered. You confirm the potential with power to transform from glory to glory is ours to own. It reminds me that I may own exercise equipment but to possess the benefits from equipment I need to do my part. I’m not real good with that theory. I’m looking in a spiritual window and wondering how Im doing on fluttering with joy by my beauty of or lack of colorful wings.🦋
Be patient with yourself!
Thanks for sharing the amazing video above. I found this online: “In just 9 to 14 days the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly is complete. Through the chrysalis, the day before the adult emerges, you can see the orange and black wings of the Monarch butterfly inside.“ 🐛…………….🦋
What an incredible video, Sara! Just to see the whole transformation process makes me think of so many analogies in scripture of what you said, “the potential with power to transform from glory to glory is ours to own.”
“He’s shedding his face” reminded me that “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20
The caterpillar does not waste the precious food given to him by God.…he cleans up after himself and eats his own egg. “So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.” John 6:13
“…To have enough energy for the long journey ahead”. Interesting that they have to feed a lot and grow bigger before they are “ready for a whole new life.” That brought me back to what you shared, Sara, in your previous blog, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”- John 6:51 (NRSV) Such a thoughtful thought for me that Im trying to grasp the living life in this world by this bread given…as this table of fellowship gathers here to hear and understand Mark 4:9. I’v heard this living referred to as “robust living.”
“The caterpillar pushes his body.” That’s like you stated, Sara, “It reminds me that I may own exercise equipment but to possess the benefits from equipment I need to do my part. “ The apostle Paul struggled. He said, “…Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under
strict control,” I Cor 9:27
“Shedding his former self. The caterpillar actually digests himself and rebuilds himself too.” In order to be transformed we, too, have to do something: “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1
I think these words of yours from the blog, Peaches Loves” shed more light on the importance of this transformation: “I’m very much aware those belief were great for those days but the new springs forth because God is the Creator. He uses His people that He formed in a Mother’s womb to grow and invent and do new things. Such things we could never dream of until He is ready to reveal.”
How glorious is our God! His creation shows us His power and leaves us with great Hope!
“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”
2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV
The r spiritual life cycle Of us is so much like the butterfly life cycle.
God’s hand gently placed the tiny ulcer than life egg gently on a leaf by his/ her mother.
With a whisper he spoke over the tiny egg, (Jeremiah 29:11). “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans and a future. God had breathed the life that was in the egg had been breathed by the Lord God Almighty. A short time later, there was movement within.. The egg suddenly hatches and out crawls a caterpillar , a type of larva, the caterpillar wraps into a cocoon wrapped inside a chrysalis,. This is the pupa stage. The biggest change
happens here, the old self of caterpillar is about to be changed into new born little butterfly. Jesus calls ”Come to me my little one. Learn from me. I will teach you! I love you!” Under cover the big event happens. . Soon to be seen to ALL.. Inside the caterpillar undergoes metaphoris -transformation) it changes.the caterpillar changes into a butterfly. And then a fluttery beautiful butterfly would come forth. You may be thinking how in the world am I like the cycle of the butterfly. We also start off as an egg and we are nourished in the womb, but God nourished us through His word, through teachers, and through His Holy Sprit. God loves to talk to us. Make sure you are able to tune in to His still small voice. He is gentle. God has a plan for each of us.. We walk instead of crawling like a caterpillar. The caterpillar eats on plants God created for them to eat when He created earth as we find in Genesis 1. We walk around in the world which is full of sin because Adam and Eve disobeyed and all of us face death because of that. Everyday we sin and the world we take in with our eyes and mind is full of sin. Our thinking is full of sin. We have trouble as sin is so great, but God is more powerful. Jesus ay have bee temped in the dessert by Satan but He never sinned. sand through Him We need to be cleansed everyday by praying to Gov. As we knee before God we must ask God to cleanse us before we start our day. We need this morning, just as we clean you face everyday.
If we don’t know Jesus as our savior, perhaps one day you we will say ENOUGH, that’s it! I CANT STAND ONE MORE DAY LIKE ThIS! Please help ME God! God hears!
, (Jeremiah 29:11).Remember, God whispers over you just as over the little butterfly, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans and a future. The biggest change in people spiritually is being reborn again. Under cover t he big event happens within our hearts. Our voice only needs to be heard by Jesus- “ Jesus please forgive me , I need you in my life, please come! . People all around will see the change soon . Then like the butterfly the glory of a Jesus will, the light of the World shines through us . You may be thinking, how in the world am I like the cycle of the butterfly? Here goes, we too start off as an egg and we our nourished in the womb. God has a plan for each of us… We walk instead of crawling like a caterpillar. The caterpillar eats of plants God created for them to eat when He created earth as we find in Genesis 1. We walk around in the world which is full of sin because Adam and Eve disobeyed and all of us face death because of that. Everyday we sin and the world we take in with our eyes and mind are full of sin. Our thinking is full of sin. Upon receiving Jesus we too will have the greatest change our lives. People will see a change in us. Your eyes will speak volumes. People will see it in your eyes. (Matthew 6:22)..
if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. Christian Standard Bible “The eye is the lamp of the body. They will see it in your daily conversation.
In in Luke 15: 3-7 we see Jesus a Shepherd . A 100 sheep, one got lost. Jesus went after the lost…. If you are lost-\He is looking for YOU, Yes YOU! He will lift you up and places you on His shoulders, so hold on, His shoulders are broad enough to handle all your sins and problems.. He already died for your sins, He died for all past and present sins. He takes you to His foldHe takes you from His shoulders giving you a hug and placing you gently into the foul and then lays down as the door. The fold was a cave and Jesus being the door is the way in and out. The Shepherd protects the flock from the wild animals, in this case the devil. We can believe in Jesus or choose not. But the devil kills, steals, and destroys and Jesus died on a cross to take on all your sins ALL and paid the price for your sins by dying on a cross beaten until He was unrecognizable. Whipped until sliced
by the whip so YOU could live in a forever home with Him in heaven. Jesus Said John 10 27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they will shall never perish , neither shall any man pluck them from out of my hand. Jesus said ( John 10:10….. I am come that you might have life and that they you might have it more abundantly. Qualification: in John 3 we see a Man named Nicodemus who came by night to see Jesus and asked Him, “ Teacher, we know you are a teacher come from God, no one can do the signs that you do unless God is with Him, Jesus said to him,, Truly, truly , I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:16 says God so loved the, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:17. “ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” You say, “ He came to save you, the on pointing to yourself.
When my students observed the life cycle of the butterfly we as a grade level would release all the butterflies. This reminds me Of Mark 16:15 He Jesus said to Them,, “ Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. If we truly love Him ( Jesus) no one can stop us because the one we love we want to share with everyone!
Rena, sounds like you are recalling your many years of sharing life cycles with children filing through your Sunday School classes year after year. Truly a poignant proportion point made in story form to help one understand “born again”, “spiritual journey, cycles of life among other cycles in a journey.
You have given a snap shot of pre-caterpillar to butterfly. I imagine you spent much time and a lot of patience to express your message of hope to your readers.
Rena, thanks for sharing the comparison of the life and cycle of the caterpillar to all the scriptures of God’s love towards us and His plan of salvation and restoration to Him.
From reading the scriptures from Jeremiah and Luke you really see God’s loving concern for all His creation and creatures and His attention to detail.
Out of all the eggs that must be laid by the butterflies in so many places in our big world, God sees that one tiny egg (as you pointed out) which contains one life, and lays it “gently on a leaf by his/ her mother.”
He shows His care, as you mentioned from Luke, towards larger animals. Even in a crowd, He notices one that is missing, and seeks to look for it.
And then, reading the scriptures you shared from Genesis and John, we see He cares for those who “walk instead of crawling like a caterpillar.” as you told us.
Lots to encourage and spur us on here as you said in the scripture, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans and a future.” And to remind us of the goodness and greatness of God.