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Transformed Imaginations
Imagination (noun): The faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is Read More
Travis Collins | Read Exodus 34:29-35
Moses’ face is glowing. Not the glow one gets after too much sun. Or when one is embarrassed or in love. But mysteriously radiant.
We shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Moses has been as close to God as a human can get on this earth. The conspicuous radiance of Moses’ face reflects the mysterious transformation of an up-close-and-personal meeting with Yahweh.
Moses’ spectacular encounter with God makes a difference. The kind of difference that makes people sit up and take notice. The difference in Moses lends credence to his words and points beyond his imperfections to One who is mysteriously and infinitely more wonderful than any human. I can hear parents telling this story to their children who weren’t around during Moses’ day: “You should have seen his face!”
Moses isn’t the only person changed by Divine Presence. Acts 4:13 describes a similar effect on Peter and John. People around them “took note that these men had been with Jesus” (niv).
Can others tell where we’ve been after we’ve been to worship?
Do people see us as those who walk closely with the Lord?
Does something about us make those around us believe that they have been in the presence of one who follows Jesus closely?
You’ve probably heard about the Christian who was arrested for his faith but was found not guilty for lack of evidence. May there always be conspicuous evidence of our faith!
God, transform me such that people see you in me. Make your presence visible in my life so that others look beyond my frailties to see your powerful perfection. May the afterglow of our visit be obvious to those around me. Amen.
God’s glory is always revealed, even if never completely. When Moses encounters God on the mountain, his face undergoes a physical transformation as a reflection of God’s greater glory. The psalmist reminds us of how great God is and how even Moses and Aaron bow before God’s throne. Paul refers to the story of Moses, but because of Christ, God’s glory is now more openly revealed. There is no need to wear a covering as Moses did, for Christ reflects openly the divine radiance. Luke recounts the Transfiguration, when the face of Jesus, like that of Moses, begins to shine. God’s voice reinforces the revelation of the Transfiguration, declaring Jesus to be God’s Son and the revelation of God’s glory.
Read Exodus 34:29-35. Consider the ways you provide evidence of your faith. Do you display it for your glory or for God’s?
Read Psalm 99. How do you seek a healthy balance of awe and intimacy in your relationship with God?
Read 2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2. What “veil” separates you from God—a sense of unworthiness, a hardened heart, a lack of understanding?
Read Luke 9:28-43a. Jesus shines with God’s glory, but then he gets back to his work of healing. Consider how God might transform you to do better the work you are already doing for God.
Respond by posting a prayer.
This season, Whitney R. Simpson has given us the gift we must open: a clear, accessible invitation to connect with the divine spark that is within us. This is the best present: being present for Jesus’ birth, God made human.”
Learn more about our newest Advent resource, Fully Human, Fully Divine here.
