Isaiah 60:20
Your sun will never set
or your moon go down.
I, the Lord, will be
your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow
will come to an end.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In the mornings, I have a routine that seldom varies. I walk through our house and turn on several lights… miniature lights on the mantle and along the top of the kitchen cabinets… a lamp in the kitchen…and sometimes others if it’s an especially cloudy day. We have night lights and lamps that we turn on in the evenings to further illuminate the rooms of our house. If you count our little “night lights,” there is virtually no hour of the day that a light is not “on” somewhere in our house.
Several years ago, the husband of a dear friend of mine died suddenly while they were attending a wedding in another state. She told me that before she returned, friends went to her house and turned on lights and made everything cozy, so that she did not walk into a dark, sad home. Some people suffer from a condition known as S.A.D. – Seasonal Affective Disorder. On cloudy, dreary days – especially in the fall and winter – they experience a sort of depression and sadness. Actually sitting in front of a lamp that mimics natural daylight is said to help with this condition!
In John 8:12, we read…”Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, ‘I am the light for the world! Follow me...’” and in 2 Timothy 1:10, we read, “Now Christ Jesus has come to show us the kindness of God. Christ our Savior defeated death and brought us the good news. It shines like a light and offers life that never ends.” Have you ever noticed that your mood is more cheerful and you have more energy on a sunny day than a cloudy one? Jesus is referred to in several places in the New Testament as “the Light”. If your mood is better on a sunny day filled with light… would it not follow that your life would be better if you filled it with the Light of Christ?
Aren’t you flooded with peace to think of a relationship with Jesus in which “your sun never sets and the moon never goes down”… a life where “your days of sorrow will come to an end”? Doesn’t this fill you with hope and serenity… a sense of calm and confidence? Light is such an important factor in our lives. There are so many things we can do with light that are impossible to accomplish in darkness. And there are even more things that we cannot achieve without the Light of Christ! He truly does shine the light of GOOD NEWS and bring us a life that never ends!
This is encouraging news. This is worth celebrating! I often sing the little song to Timothy, Zola and Nathan… “This little light of mine – I’m gonna let it shine.” Is the light of Christ shining in your heart and illuminating your way? Do you have the peace of knowing His GOOD NEWS and walking in the confidence that sorrows will end – but your life in Him never will? Isn’t it time you “turned on the Light” of Jesus and filled your life with His joy and peace?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label light of Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label light of Christ. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 11, 2011
John 12:28-38
A voice from heaven then said, "I have already brought glory to myself, and I will do it again!" When the crowd heard the voice, some of them thought it was thunder. Others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus.
Then Jesus told the crowd, "That voice spoke to help you, not me. This world's people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world is already being thrown out! If I am lifted up above the earth, I will make everyone want to come to me." Jesus was talking about the way he would be put to death. The crowd said to Jesus, "The Scriptures teach that the Messiah will live forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus answered, "The light will be with you for only a little longer. Walk in the light while you can. Then you won't be caught walking blindly in the dark. Have faith in the light while it is with you, and you will be children of the light."
After Jesus had said these things, he left and went into hiding.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you have ever been to my house, you know that I use miniature twinkling lights to decorate several corners of our home. I put them on the fireplace mantle and above the cabinets in our kitchen. At Christmas time I add more lights on the TV cabinet, and of course, on the Christmas trees. We even have some twinkling lights on our back porch to illuminate the railings when we sit outside at night. After Christmas, I always buy a lot of extra boxes of these lights when they are reduced for quick sale. These strands of lights are fragile… a sudden power surge… or several weeks of use… can cause them to malfunction – or fail.
I can usually tell when these lights are about to burn out, because for a day or so, they will burn more brightly. I know that sounds weird, but it’s true. And as I replaced a strand of lights this morning, I thought about this scripture passage and our lives as Christians. See, we are somewhat like the strand of Christmas lights. We burn for Christ for a while… and maybe we even burn brightly for a season… but we tend to fizzle out at some point, needing a replacement or “recharge.” We are children of the light, okay… but we’re not always very reliable!
Jesus, on the other hand, burns brightly forever. Yes, He physically left this earth… the light of His human presence was extinguished for a time. But He continues to shine brightly in Heaven – and to send His light to us, so that we can continue His work on this earth. AND… someday, Jesus will return to earth for His church, and the Bible tells us His light will be so incredibly bright that it will almost be more than we can handle!
The next time I see a strand of twinkling lights burning extra brightly, I will think of this passage. I will remember that we must strive to stay faithful and in communication with God, so that our “light” does not burn brightly and then fizzle. I will also be reminded that Jesus’ light and love cannot be extinguished. He lives in and through me… and I have work to do on His behalf.
What about you? What sort of “child of the Light” are you these days? Is your light for Christ burning strongly… or is it on the verge of a fizzle? Do what you must today to reconnect with Jesus and keep His light burning strongly within you… and never get caught in the dark!
©2011 Debbie Robus
A voice from heaven then said, "I have already brought glory to myself, and I will do it again!" When the crowd heard the voice, some of them thought it was thunder. Others thought an angel had spoken to Jesus.
Then Jesus told the crowd, "That voice spoke to help you, not me. This world's people are now being judged, and the ruler of this world is already being thrown out! If I am lifted up above the earth, I will make everyone want to come to me." Jesus was talking about the way he would be put to death. The crowd said to Jesus, "The Scriptures teach that the Messiah will live forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" Jesus answered, "The light will be with you for only a little longer. Walk in the light while you can. Then you won't be caught walking blindly in the dark. Have faith in the light while it is with you, and you will be children of the light."
After Jesus had said these things, he left and went into hiding.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you have ever been to my house, you know that I use miniature twinkling lights to decorate several corners of our home. I put them on the fireplace mantle and above the cabinets in our kitchen. At Christmas time I add more lights on the TV cabinet, and of course, on the Christmas trees. We even have some twinkling lights on our back porch to illuminate the railings when we sit outside at night. After Christmas, I always buy a lot of extra boxes of these lights when they are reduced for quick sale. These strands of lights are fragile… a sudden power surge… or several weeks of use… can cause them to malfunction – or fail.
I can usually tell when these lights are about to burn out, because for a day or so, they will burn more brightly. I know that sounds weird, but it’s true. And as I replaced a strand of lights this morning, I thought about this scripture passage and our lives as Christians. See, we are somewhat like the strand of Christmas lights. We burn for Christ for a while… and maybe we even burn brightly for a season… but we tend to fizzle out at some point, needing a replacement or “recharge.” We are children of the light, okay… but we’re not always very reliable!
Jesus, on the other hand, burns brightly forever. Yes, He physically left this earth… the light of His human presence was extinguished for a time. But He continues to shine brightly in Heaven – and to send His light to us, so that we can continue His work on this earth. AND… someday, Jesus will return to earth for His church, and the Bible tells us His light will be so incredibly bright that it will almost be more than we can handle!
The next time I see a strand of twinkling lights burning extra brightly, I will think of this passage. I will remember that we must strive to stay faithful and in communication with God, so that our “light” does not burn brightly and then fizzle. I will also be reminded that Jesus’ light and love cannot be extinguished. He lives in and through me… and I have work to do on His behalf.
What about you? What sort of “child of the Light” are you these days? Is your light for Christ burning strongly… or is it on the verge of a fizzle? Do what you must today to reconnect with Jesus and keep His light burning strongly within you… and never get caught in the dark!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 19, 2011
John 3:19-21
The light has come into the world, and people who do evil things are judged guilty because they love the dark more than the light. People who do evil hate the light and won't come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done. But everyone who lives by the truth will come to the light, because they want others to know that God is really the one doing what they do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I started selling online, I had a lot of trouble with photographs. One of the keys to successful online selling is having good pictures that showcase your product and its best features. For a long time, mine were pretty hit and miss. Once in awhile, I’d have what I considered to be a good photo. But there was no consistency. I did some research and studied the work of other online sellers, and I discovered that one of my biggest problems was my light source.
I knew better than to try to photograph my items in darkness. I didn’t want to hide the products – I wanted to feature them prominently! At first I tried natural daylight. But I learned that ordinary light… although fairly bright and clear… still left room for shadows and the potential for areas of darkness. When I created a setting with a direct light source to shine on exactly what I wanted to feature, I began to have beautiful, pleasing results!
In our daily living, a lot of us are walking around in broad daylight most of the time. We’re not necessarily hiding in the darkness and doing evil things. But even in the daylight, there are areas of our lives in the shadows… a bad habit we need to kick to the curb, rough language, gossip, unkind thoughts and behaviors toward others, and more. We need to study the examples of faith-filled Christians… and God’s word… and discover how to move closer to the pure Light of Jesus Christ.
Our goal should be to live in such a manner that the Light of Christ shines on us from any angle and produces beautiful results. We need to grow in our “Disciple skills” and learn how to showcase God’s work in and through us more consistently. We need to become more comfortable in the direct Light Source… and to expect better results as we serve God and help to further His Kingdom.
Which light are you operating in these days? Do you still have areas that function in the shadows? Are you ready for “full exposure” in the bright Light of Christ? Isn’t it time you were?
©2011 Debbie Robus
The light has come into the world, and people who do evil things are judged guilty because they love the dark more than the light. People who do evil hate the light and won't come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done. But everyone who lives by the truth will come to the light, because they want others to know that God is really the one doing what they do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I started selling online, I had a lot of trouble with photographs. One of the keys to successful online selling is having good pictures that showcase your product and its best features. For a long time, mine were pretty hit and miss. Once in awhile, I’d have what I considered to be a good photo. But there was no consistency. I did some research and studied the work of other online sellers, and I discovered that one of my biggest problems was my light source.
I knew better than to try to photograph my items in darkness. I didn’t want to hide the products – I wanted to feature them prominently! At first I tried natural daylight. But I learned that ordinary light… although fairly bright and clear… still left room for shadows and the potential for areas of darkness. When I created a setting with a direct light source to shine on exactly what I wanted to feature, I began to have beautiful, pleasing results!
In our daily living, a lot of us are walking around in broad daylight most of the time. We’re not necessarily hiding in the darkness and doing evil things. But even in the daylight, there are areas of our lives in the shadows… a bad habit we need to kick to the curb, rough language, gossip, unkind thoughts and behaviors toward others, and more. We need to study the examples of faith-filled Christians… and God’s word… and discover how to move closer to the pure Light of Jesus Christ.
Our goal should be to live in such a manner that the Light of Christ shines on us from any angle and produces beautiful results. We need to grow in our “Disciple skills” and learn how to showcase God’s work in and through us more consistently. We need to become more comfortable in the direct Light Source… and to expect better results as we serve God and help to further His Kingdom.
Which light are you operating in these days? Do you still have areas that function in the shadows? Are you ready for “full exposure” in the bright Light of Christ? Isn’t it time you were?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 29, 2011
John 1:9-13
The true light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. The Word was in the world, but no one knew him, though God had made the world with his Word. He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him. Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. They were not God's children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law recently celebrated another birthday. My husband and his brothers planned to meet their mom for dinner at a local restaurant. The day before, I made a birthday cake and put it in the refrigerator to keep the icing fresh. I wrapped a gift and set it on the counter, and my husband’s brothers and their wives bought gifts and cards, too. The day of the birthday, we met for dinner. Then everyone came to our house afterward. We got out the cake and ice cream, and my mother-in-law opened her cards and gifts. Some of her relatives and friends… grandchildren, her sister, and nieces… called or sent Facebook messages to wish her a Happy Birthday.
Now, suppose we had left the cake in the refrigerator. What if we had left our gifts and cards on the counter… sat around and visited … and merely looked at each other? Or what if we had failed to even mention to my mother-in-law that it was her birthday… much less honor the date in any way? Would it still have been my mother-in-law’s birthday? Certainly! Would we have celebrated to the fullest of our ability and with a 100% effort? Absolutely not! Just because the calendar said it was her birthday and she turned a year older didn’t mean that the event was fully recognized and hailed with complete enthusiasm and gusto! In order for this to happen, we had to do something… we had to become engaged and fully involved… and we had to acknowledge – and celebrate the day!
Some people do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. They think He was just a very good man who lived a good life and did many great things. If you ask most people if they believe in God, they will say, “Yes.” If you ask most Christians to explain their relationship with Jesus, they may tell you, “He died on the cross for my sins.” But what does this really mean for most folks?
Who is Jesus, really? Is the depth of most relationships with Jesus Christ the fact that He died for our sins? Do most people understand that acknowledging this fact is not enough? Is their faith in Jesus akin to leaving a birthday cake in the refrigerator? The cake is there… and maybe by making the cake, we feel we acknowledged the special day. By the same token, we may feel we have done enough to become Christians by acknowledging that Jesus died for our sins.
Until we take the next step – until we not only acknowledge what Jesus did on the cross, but ask Him to forgive us for our part in it… until we “cut the cake,” the deal is not done! The birthday still happened… and God still gave us life… but until we fully celebrate… until we fully develop our relationship with Him… we cannot truly claim victory. We can’t say we are Disciples of Christ… faith-filled Christians, until we acknowledge Jesus, ask Him to forgive us for our sins, and begin to walk in His light and share His Good News with others.
A birthday rolls around for every living person once a year. But not all birthdays are celebrated and shared with others. God created all of us, but not all of us become “Children of God” in the context of salvation and Eternal Life through Jesus Christ. And not all Children of God truly live in the light of Christ and daily walk by faith… not all Christians truly “get it.” Do you?
How will you celebrate… both your earthly life and your life in Christ? Will you know Jesus, or will you truly KNOW Him? There is a difference… can you see it?
©2011 Debbie Robus
The true light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. The Word was in the world, but no one knew him, though God had made the world with his Word. He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him. Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. They were not God's children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother-in-law recently celebrated another birthday. My husband and his brothers planned to meet their mom for dinner at a local restaurant. The day before, I made a birthday cake and put it in the refrigerator to keep the icing fresh. I wrapped a gift and set it on the counter, and my husband’s brothers and their wives bought gifts and cards, too. The day of the birthday, we met for dinner. Then everyone came to our house afterward. We got out the cake and ice cream, and my mother-in-law opened her cards and gifts. Some of her relatives and friends… grandchildren, her sister, and nieces… called or sent Facebook messages to wish her a Happy Birthday.
Now, suppose we had left the cake in the refrigerator. What if we had left our gifts and cards on the counter… sat around and visited … and merely looked at each other? Or what if we had failed to even mention to my mother-in-law that it was her birthday… much less honor the date in any way? Would it still have been my mother-in-law’s birthday? Certainly! Would we have celebrated to the fullest of our ability and with a 100% effort? Absolutely not! Just because the calendar said it was her birthday and she turned a year older didn’t mean that the event was fully recognized and hailed with complete enthusiasm and gusto! In order for this to happen, we had to do something… we had to become engaged and fully involved… and we had to acknowledge – and celebrate the day!
Some people do not believe Jesus is the Son of God. They think He was just a very good man who lived a good life and did many great things. If you ask most people if they believe in God, they will say, “Yes.” If you ask most Christians to explain their relationship with Jesus, they may tell you, “He died on the cross for my sins.” But what does this really mean for most folks?
Who is Jesus, really? Is the depth of most relationships with Jesus Christ the fact that He died for our sins? Do most people understand that acknowledging this fact is not enough? Is their faith in Jesus akin to leaving a birthday cake in the refrigerator? The cake is there… and maybe by making the cake, we feel we acknowledged the special day. By the same token, we may feel we have done enough to become Christians by acknowledging that Jesus died for our sins.
Until we take the next step – until we not only acknowledge what Jesus did on the cross, but ask Him to forgive us for our part in it… until we “cut the cake,” the deal is not done! The birthday still happened… and God still gave us life… but until we fully celebrate… until we fully develop our relationship with Him… we cannot truly claim victory. We can’t say we are Disciples of Christ… faith-filled Christians, until we acknowledge Jesus, ask Him to forgive us for our sins, and begin to walk in His light and share His Good News with others.
A birthday rolls around for every living person once a year. But not all birthdays are celebrated and shared with others. God created all of us, but not all of us become “Children of God” in the context of salvation and Eternal Life through Jesus Christ. And not all Children of God truly live in the light of Christ and daily walk by faith… not all Christians truly “get it.” Do you?
How will you celebrate… both your earthly life and your life in Christ? Will you know Jesus, or will you truly KNOW Him? There is a difference… can you see it?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 28, 2011
John 1:6-8
God sent a man named John, who came to tell about the light and to lead all people to have faith. John wasn't that light. He came only to tell about the light.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever tried to ask someone a question, and the person totally went off in another direction with their answer? They missed the point completely! Or maybe you have said something to someone, and what they heard was altogether different. You gave one message… the person received another!
We do this a lot in our faith walk. We get all hung up on one little phrase in a scripture verse… or we focus on something that is really pretty insignificant… and we miss the bigger picture. And a lot of people got mixed up and thought that John was God’s “Chosen One,” when in reality, he was the messenger. John was anointed by God and chosen to prepare the way… and he did lead many to develop a faith in Jesus and a relationship with our Heavenly Father. But John was not Jesus, and he never claimed to be.
So often, we get a little pious – somewhat high and mighty – and we tend to think better of ourselves than we should! Just because we have a relationship with Jesus and are covered in His blood – heirs to the Throne of Grace – doesn’t mean we can lord it over others! This is not a license to judge and condemn them for what we consider sinful or wrong behavior. We are not entitled to claim to do great things under our own power. The only power we have comes from Jesus Christ working in and through us!
With the power of Jesus, we can spread the Good News of His salvation. With the power of Jesus, we can tell all about the light and lead people to a faith in Christ for themselves. We cannot judge sin… we cannot heal sickness… we cannot save anyone. Only God can do this through the blood of Jesus Christ. But we can deliver the message. We can live in a manner that shows others what a faith in Jesus can do for them. We can love others and share grace, mercy, and forgiveness… modeling Christ-like behaviors. And we must do this!
When it comes to modeling Christian behavior, John was a pioneer! He showed others the way to walk in faith and shared the Good News of the coming of Jesus. We can take our cue from John… we can walk in faith, and we can share with others how Jesus sacrificed His very life for each of us on the cross. It is our turn to tell about the Light. How are you doing?
©2011 Debbie Robus
God sent a man named John, who came to tell about the light and to lead all people to have faith. John wasn't that light. He came only to tell about the light.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever tried to ask someone a question, and the person totally went off in another direction with their answer? They missed the point completely! Or maybe you have said something to someone, and what they heard was altogether different. You gave one message… the person received another!
We do this a lot in our faith walk. We get all hung up on one little phrase in a scripture verse… or we focus on something that is really pretty insignificant… and we miss the bigger picture. And a lot of people got mixed up and thought that John was God’s “Chosen One,” when in reality, he was the messenger. John was anointed by God and chosen to prepare the way… and he did lead many to develop a faith in Jesus and a relationship with our Heavenly Father. But John was not Jesus, and he never claimed to be.
So often, we get a little pious – somewhat high and mighty – and we tend to think better of ourselves than we should! Just because we have a relationship with Jesus and are covered in His blood – heirs to the Throne of Grace – doesn’t mean we can lord it over others! This is not a license to judge and condemn them for what we consider sinful or wrong behavior. We are not entitled to claim to do great things under our own power. The only power we have comes from Jesus Christ working in and through us!
With the power of Jesus, we can spread the Good News of His salvation. With the power of Jesus, we can tell all about the light and lead people to a faith in Christ for themselves. We cannot judge sin… we cannot heal sickness… we cannot save anyone. Only God can do this through the blood of Jesus Christ. But we can deliver the message. We can live in a manner that shows others what a faith in Jesus can do for them. We can love others and share grace, mercy, and forgiveness… modeling Christ-like behaviors. And we must do this!
When it comes to modeling Christian behavior, John was a pioneer! He showed others the way to walk in faith and shared the Good News of the coming of Jesus. We can take our cue from John… we can walk in faith, and we can share with others how Jesus sacrificed His very life for each of us on the cross. It is our turn to tell about the Light. How are you doing?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February17, 2011
Exodus 34:29-35
Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the Ten Commandments. His face was shining brightly because the LORD had been speaking to him. But Moses did not know at first that his face was shining. When Aaron and the others looked at Moses, they saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him. Moses called out for Aaron and the leaders to come to him, and he spoke with them. Then the rest of the people of Israel gathered around Moses, and he gave them the laws that the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
The face of Moses kept shining, and after he had spoken with the people, he covered his face with a veil. Moses would always remove the veil when he went into the sacred tent to speak with the LORD. And when he came out, he would tell the people everything the LORD had told him to say. They could see that his face was still shining. So after he had spoken with them, he would put the veil back on and leave it on until the next time he went to speak with the LORD.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother told me about a woman she met recently in a theater lobby in Wickenburg, Arizona. The lady – Betty – was 102, and Mom said she had a pretty smile – and beautiful teeth. She said you would never guess that Betty was 102, and from what Mom described, the woman practically glowed with “youthfulness” and energy that belied her age. I bet if you stop and think about it, you know someone like Betty… maybe not someone who is 102, but someone who seems to practically radiate light toward whomever they encounter.
If we want to get right to it, as Christians we should all be radiating the light of Christ. Our faces should be shining with His glory. If you read Exodus 33 and 34, you will see that Moses didn’t literally see God’s face. God told Moses that no one could handle the full glory of seeing His face. But Moses heard God’s voice… he knew that God passed by him and shielded Himself from view by hiding Moses in the cleft of a rock. So, if Moses glowed from an inadvertent encounter with God, can’t we?
This comes down to a question of our faith. If we truly believe that God is with us… if we truly feel His presence and “hear” his voice… then our faces should shine with His glory. Others should notice something distinctly special about us… not in a negative way or one that makes us a show-off… but rather, a “presence” about us that reflects our relationship with God. It should be clearly evident to others that we have spent time in communication with our Heavenly Father… and the joy, peace, positive attitude, confidence, hope, faith, compassion, and more that we exhibit to others should be our “glow.”
What about you? Have you had a “close encounter” with God lately? Do you radiate His love, grace and mercy to others in such a way that either you almost need to cover your face with a veil – or others need to put on sunglasses? How bright is your “glow” these days? Is it time you spent a little time in God’s presence for a “recharge?”
©2011 Debbie Robus
Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the Ten Commandments. His face was shining brightly because the LORD had been speaking to him. But Moses did not know at first that his face was shining. When Aaron and the others looked at Moses, they saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him. Moses called out for Aaron and the leaders to come to him, and he spoke with them. Then the rest of the people of Israel gathered around Moses, and he gave them the laws that the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
The face of Moses kept shining, and after he had spoken with the people, he covered his face with a veil. Moses would always remove the veil when he went into the sacred tent to speak with the LORD. And when he came out, he would tell the people everything the LORD had told him to say. They could see that his face was still shining. So after he had spoken with them, he would put the veil back on and leave it on until the next time he went to speak with the LORD.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My mother told me about a woman she met recently in a theater lobby in Wickenburg, Arizona. The lady – Betty – was 102, and Mom said she had a pretty smile – and beautiful teeth. She said you would never guess that Betty was 102, and from what Mom described, the woman practically glowed with “youthfulness” and energy that belied her age. I bet if you stop and think about it, you know someone like Betty… maybe not someone who is 102, but someone who seems to practically radiate light toward whomever they encounter.
If we want to get right to it, as Christians we should all be radiating the light of Christ. Our faces should be shining with His glory. If you read Exodus 33 and 34, you will see that Moses didn’t literally see God’s face. God told Moses that no one could handle the full glory of seeing His face. But Moses heard God’s voice… he knew that God passed by him and shielded Himself from view by hiding Moses in the cleft of a rock. So, if Moses glowed from an inadvertent encounter with God, can’t we?
This comes down to a question of our faith. If we truly believe that God is with us… if we truly feel His presence and “hear” his voice… then our faces should shine with His glory. Others should notice something distinctly special about us… not in a negative way or one that makes us a show-off… but rather, a “presence” about us that reflects our relationship with God. It should be clearly evident to others that we have spent time in communication with our Heavenly Father… and the joy, peace, positive attitude, confidence, hope, faith, compassion, and more that we exhibit to others should be our “glow.”
What about you? Have you had a “close encounter” with God lately? Do you radiate His love, grace and mercy to others in such a way that either you almost need to cover your face with a veil – or others need to put on sunglasses? How bright is your “glow” these days? Is it time you spent a little time in God’s presence for a “recharge?”
©2011 Debbie Robus
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