Feel the glow ...

In Pennsylvania, it begins to get cloudy around November and it stays cloudy until around early April. As a break from the gloom one year, we were able to fly down to Florida to be with Misty's family. We had a great time in the sun and a great time in the warmth. When we came back from Florida, people at our congregation noticed how nice and tanned we were. We had gotten some sun, the very thing that they had not seen in months. You could look especially at my face and see how much sun I had been exposed to. I had a massive sunburn. I could feel the glow and warmth of the burn on my face. Although the people were jealous of the sun and fun we had in Florida, no one was envious of the pain.

In Exodus 34:29-35, Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai where God chiseled the new tablets that held the ten commandments. He spent 40 days and 40 nights away from his people, away from food, and away from water.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

I have always thought this was an amazing story. Moses would spend so much time with his God: listening, worshiping, and speaking with Him, that he would walk away with a glowing face. The people would see this glow and know that Moses had been with God. He just glowed with the warmth, love, joy, glory, and presence of the Lord. How awesome! We are told in 2 Corinthians that Moses would veil his face to keep the people from seeing the glow fading away from his face.

How much time do we spend with our God? What is our worship time like with God? Is it amazing and hope-filled? Do we leave with this joy in our heart and this love to share? Moses would just sit, walk, and talk with God. He would come back with God-burn! Just like I came back with sun-burn, Moses had his own version. I know that I have days where my time alone with God in personal worship and my times in public worship have left me feeling like I had God-burn. I felt like I was just glowing from my wonderful, awe-inspiring time with our God. I pray for days like that. I pray for worship times like that. I pray that for you as well. If you are longing for that relationship, it starts where you are. You make the effort to stop all you are doing and try to quiet your soul enough to just "Be" with God.

God-burn, what a way of overflowing to those around you! If you choose to take the time to spend with him, forget the sun tan lotion, and get ready to soak up that time with your Father. Get ready to share that time with someone else.

Jason