August 7, 2015: Exodus 34:29-35

Exodus 34:29-35

Passage:

²⁹ Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two covenant tablets in his hand, Moses didn’t realize that the skin of his face shone brightly because he had been talking with God. ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw the skin of Moses’ face shining brightly, they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called them closer. So Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke with them. ³² After that, all the Israelites came near as well, and Moses commanded them everything that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. ³³ When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. ³⁴ Whenever Moses went into the Lord’s presence to speak with him, Moses would take the veil off until he came out again. When Moses came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵ the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was shining brightly. So Moses would put the veil on his face again until the next time he went in to speak with the Lord. ^[1]

Reflection:

Here, Moses is reflecting the glory of God. From being so close to God, in God’s physical presence, Moses was transformed.  In fact, God’s presence on him was too much for those around him to handle. So he had to wear a veil.

I once prayed that I could reflect God’s light in my life. In fact, I prayed that the light I gave off would be so bright that it would blind people. What happened is that became so holier than thou that I actually pushed people away from God.

Paul talks about being the reflection of Christ in 2 Corinthians 3.  That we are to reflect God’s glory.  Not to blind people, but to help people see the love of God. That we go from glory to glory as God transforms us into more Christ like people.

Reflection Questions:
Morning: How do you reflect God’s glory?

Noon:  How do you reflect God’s grace?

Evening:  How do you reflect God’s love?

Prayer: Lord, help us to be a reflection of you so that every day we may show others your goodness.

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^[1] Common English Bible (Nashville, TN: Common English Bible, 2011), Ex 34:29–35.