March 3, 2019 Last Sunday before lent

29Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. 32Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him. Exodus 34:29-35 (NKJV)

Have you ever seen someone who the “skin of his face shone”? Some may think this is a myth from the past and a preposterous one at that. How could someone's face shine just by being in the presence of God?

There are people, even some you may know, who just by being in their presence you can tell they have been in the presence of God. There is an inner glow that not only shows the impact of God's love in their life but also can bring light into our life if we allow it.

Some will call upon them to veil their light and others will make them feel guilty and some even angry at the light. For the light of that person's relationship with God both reminds of what we can have with God and how we should be living in God. So the veil is put over them until they speak with God.

They may even veil themselves when they speak with God because of the pressure of others and then the light will gradually fade. To fit in and not make others see and face their guilt they damage themselves, destroy a hope for others and hurt the heart of God!

WE MUST LET GOD'S LIGHT SHINE IN US AND FROM US! WE MUST NOT COVER OR DAMPEN THAT LIGHT BECAUSE OF THE ANGER OF THE DARKNESS! If we do “veil” the light darkness grows (even in us) throughout the world!

The light God shines throughout us and through us to others is how God works to bring all out of the wilderness to the promised land and from the constraints of the law to total freedom of love! Love which does not accept our sin but calls to confession and repentance to be able to draw near to God.
 
Though the light is really God's Light which emanates from the life and love of Jesus Christ throughout and through us sing aloud:

I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine all the time!