When I was in seminary, one of my roommates fell in love with the woman he would eventually marry. I never had to ask if he had seen her on a particular day because I could see on his face the glow of having spent time with his beloved. He looked different.
Today’s passage tells us that Moses actually looks different when he returns from God’s presence. God’s glory radiates from his skin. His face shines so brightly that everyone fears him. He finally decides to wear a veil in order to relieve their anxiety; yet in God’s presence he removes the veil to bask fully in the divine brilliancy.
God may not call us away onto a holy mountain to meet, but as Christians we can commune with the Almighty anywhere. We can pray and talk with God in the privacy of our bedroom, in the car while driving our kids to school, at work, at our child’s soccer practice, wherever.
When we meet with God in these places, how does that affect us? Do we look different? I’m not talking about physical appearance, as if following God means we have to smile all the time. (We don’t. Just read the Psalms.) I’m talking about our entire being. Do our meetings with the Almighty through reflection, Bible study, prayer—even reading this devotional—change us in some visible way? When friends or colleagues need and search for hope, can they look at us and see the reflection of God’s glory in our lives?