Exodus 34:26-35: a reflection

26“You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of the LORD your God. “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” 27The LORD said to Moses, “Write these words; for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28He was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. 29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn’t know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him. 30When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him. 31Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. 32Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all the commandments that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded. 35The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone; so Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

When Moses comes down from Mount Sinai after forty days in God's presence, something has happened to him that he does not even notice: the skin of his face is shining. He had been speaking with God, and the radiance of God's presence had left its mark on him, so that his face shone; and Moses did not know it, but the people saw it and were afraid to come near. Being with God had visibly changed him.

Notice that Moses' face shone because he had been with God, and that he did not know it himself. The radiance was not something Moses produced or was aware of; it was the reflected effect of being in God's presence. Time spent with God had marked him, transformed him, so that something of God's glory shone from him, unconsciously, visible to others though not to himself. His shining face was simply the overflow of having been with God.

That points to what time in God's presence does to us. We are changed by the company we keep, and above all by time spent with God; something of him rubs off on us, marks us, shines through us, often without our even noticing it. Those who spend time with God are changed by it, and others may see it even when we do not. Seek God's presence, not to produce some visible glow, but simply to be with him; and trust that being with him will transform you, leaving its mark, so that something of God is reflected in you. We become like what we spend time with; spend time with God, and let his presence transform you and shine through you, as it shone from the face of Moses, who had been with him.

Lord, when Moses came down from forty days in your presence, his face was shining, though he did not know it; the radiance of your presence had left its mark on him. Show me what time in your presence does to me. I am changed by the company I keep, and above all by time spent with you; something of you marks me, shines through me, often without my even noticing it. Those who spend time with you are changed by it, and others may see it even when I do not. Help me seek your presence, not to produce some visible glow, but simply to be with you; and let being with you transform me, leaving its mark, so that something of you is reflected in me. I become like what I spend time with; help me spend time with you, and let your presence transform me and shine through me, as it shone from the face of Moses, who had been with you. Change me by your presence, Lord.