a radiant face

Exodus 34 speaks of a man whose face literally radiated warmth and light because "he had spoken to the LORD" [v29]. His encounter with his God led to a visible change in his appearance.


I don't think it is by accident that the Word explains that Moses did not eat or drink anything for forty days while on the Mount with God. Any man, would be guant, anemic, and sickly after a mere week fasting. Yet after forty days, Moses had a "radiant" face when he came down from the high places. His unbroken gaze upon the beauty of his God led to a glow that others noticed. The NLT version actually notes that the Israelites were "afraid to come near him" [v30]. In all honesty, if I saw my leader come down the mountain looking like a glow worm, I think I'd be a little scared too!


I've read this passage before, yet this time it felt like the passage had so much more meaning tied to it. In the midst of meditating upon these words, I asked myself some tough questions:

• Do I hold an unbroken gaze upon my Lord, so much so that I radiate His love?
• Can others around me notice that I glow because I trust in Christ?
• Does my manner of speech, my compassion for the weak and poor, my forgiveness, my attitude, my regard and respect for others shine in a dark world?

The book of Matthew drives this message home: What use is there more a light if it is but hidden under a basket? What use for a light but to shine and "give light to the whole house". We are to shine. We are to give light to our homes, schools, workplaces.


But one word of caution for myself and maybe for others. It is not I who makes myself shine. I cannot make myself radiate what I do not possess. It is only through my daily encounter with my Creator that I can reflect His Light.  Just like a skier comes home from the mountain with a reddened face from being in the white snow in high peaks, our faces begin to glow when we go to high places in our walk with God. We come back from it changed, renewed, and shining for and through Him.