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Radiant

Psalm 34:5 NIV Those who look to Him are radiant,
                       their faces are never covered with shame.


I want to talk about reflecting the radiance of God's glory. I read the above verse in Psalm 34 today as part of my devotional reading and thought immediately of Moses' face being so brilliant that the people around him were afraid to look at him. In Exodus 34, Moses was on the mountain in the presence of God. He was there for 40 days. After these 40 days with God (verse 29), Moses' face was radiant "because he had spoken with the LORD". His face was radiant, glowing, shining with God's glory because he had spent time with God.  It was so bright in fact that the people were afraid and wanted him to put a veil over his face when he was with them. 

Psalm 34:5 says that "those who look to Him [God] are radiant." When we spend time in the presence of the LORD God, we are radiant. We shine. We glow with the same radiance that shown on the face of Moses.  Perhaps we won't glow such that people want us to cover our faces with a veil, but we will glow with the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Song to remember these!!)  

When we spend time with God in prayer during times of trouble, we may feel, then exhibit more peace and faithfulness. When we spend time with God in worship, we may have more love and joy to share. When we spend time with God in meditation we may become more patient, kind, and good. Time with God can work in us to be more gentle and to exercise more self-control. These characteristics will make us radiate God. We will be radiant of the One we look to. 

The second half of Psalm 34:5 speaks of never being covered in shame. If we are radiant from spending time with God, we will not be shameful, ever. We will reflect Christ, God's perfect image in human form. We will shine. There is no  room for shame, only the radiance of God's glory......when we spend time with God. 

Let's make an intentional plan to do that daily, as often throughout the day as possible.  Pray (converse with God). Study. Meditate. Worship. Sing songs of praise. Write and talk about God's goodness. Be grateful. Be thankful. Express love and devotion to God. Confess and repent where necessary.  Do all of this as often as possible - Spend time with God. Then you will radiate God's glory and bear no shame, ever.

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