Day 18 - Radiant

"O LORD God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved."

(Psalm 80:19)

The beauty of God is recognizable in those who seek holiness. When the heart is changed it shows on the face.  To become holy as God is holy is a pursuit that cannot be fulfilled without change. In the book of Exodus, Moses goes up Mount Sinai and enters into the "cloud." Those who were watching saw a consuming fire. For six days, Moses remained within the realms of that cloud and fire conversing with the Lord. When he came down from the Mount on the seventh day, he was changed...and it was visible. "As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the Lord" (Exodus 34:29). His face "radiant" with the glory of God. 

Notice the rich imagery and symbolism here. Moses comes down on the seventh day. This is no coincidence. As we know, the seventh day is the sabbath day, the culmination of creation. Moses had been recreated, changed, by the awesome consuming fire and cloud of God's glory. He emerged, not as a completely different person, but as one who was closer to the image his creator had always desired him to be. He entered into the presence of the Lord and came forth resembling the Divine image, the image in which he was originally created.  

Moses didn't know that his face was radiant, but the others noticed it. When we spend time with the Lord and allow His consuming fire to change us, our faces become radiant with the glory of God. Not that we might know it and become vain or prideful, but so that we can share the face of God with others in humility. Like Moses, we can enter into the cloud and emerge recreated. St. Gregory of Nyssa depicted Christ as an artist, "tenderly wiping away all the grime of sin that disfigures the human face and restoring God's image to its full beauty." It is when we allow Christ to enter and gently touch the face of our hearts/souls, wiping away the sin and image that we have made ourselves to be, that he can create us into the perfect image of his glory. It is then that we become the women that he created us to be. Then, our faces will radiate with the light of Christ and the power of God. 

Let us enter into the presence of God everyday, praying for holiness, and lasting change. Our faces will then begin to radiate with true beauty as our hearts are transformed. Holiness requires change. It requires that we allow the hand of the artist to wipe away all that is displeasing to Him within us. His loving brush can erase the dull imperfection of sin and paint in its place the vibrant color of virtue. Will you give God the brush? Will you enter the cloud? Will you allow the consuming fire to change you? Will you be the radiant face of God in the world today? 

Today's Challenge: 

Spend five minutes in silence with the Lord. If possible, visit a church and spend this time before the tabernacle. Allow the cloud of His grace to cover you and transform your heart. 

Today's Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, I long to be beautiful. Help me to enter into the cloud of your presence and to be transformed. Surrounded by your grace, may I allow you to consume me, change me, paint me anew. Paint anew the thoughts in my mind so that I might truly believe in my beauty and understand you more fully. I love you Lord, and I am yours. I hand you the brush, recreate me. Amen.