I love the description in Exodus 34 of the people's astonished reaction as Moses came down from his time on the mountain with the Lord because his face shone. Imagine spending time with the Lord so much and so intimately that others could literally see the evidence of your time with Him all over your face.
We may not glow as Moses did, but our time with God still shows. It shows in how we react to difficult circumstances. It shows in how we parent our kids. It shows in the words we use and the entertainment we choose. It even shows in how we handle crazy drivers!
The evidence is not something we can easily fake. Sure, we can paste on a smile, greet everyone with God's blessings, and hang scripture up in our office, but when our patience is gone and our temper flares, all those attempts to look godly won't be enough to keep us from showing our own true colors. Only the presence of God will give us peace in the midst of turmoil and stress. Only the Holy Spirit can give us strength to withstand temptation.
Like Moses, we bear the evidence of spending time with the Lord, and like Moses, when we haven't spent time with the Lord, the evidence fades. The answer to this dilemma is clear in I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." That is only one within a list of simple, direct commands for how we should live in light of the gospel, but it is the key to each of the others.
Remaining in communication with God, aware of His constant presence in our lives, listening for guidance from the Holy Spirit, "praying without ceasing" keeps us plugged in to the Source. I'm reminded of the children's song from VBS, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..."
How do you stay connected with the Lord? How do you see evidence of spending time with Him play out In your life or In the lives of others?
We may not glow as Moses did, but our time with God still shows. It shows in how we react to difficult circumstances. It shows in how we parent our kids. It shows in the words we use and the entertainment we choose. It even shows in how we handle crazy drivers!
The evidence is not something we can easily fake. Sure, we can paste on a smile, greet everyone with God's blessings, and hang scripture up in our office, but when our patience is gone and our temper flares, all those attempts to look godly won't be enough to keep us from showing our own true colors. Only the presence of God will give us peace in the midst of turmoil and stress. Only the Holy Spirit can give us strength to withstand temptation.
Like Moses, we bear the evidence of spending time with the Lord, and like Moses, when we haven't spent time with the Lord, the evidence fades. The answer to this dilemma is clear in I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." That is only one within a list of simple, direct commands for how we should live in light of the gospel, but it is the key to each of the others.
Remaining in communication with God, aware of His constant presence in our lives, listening for guidance from the Holy Spirit, "praying without ceasing" keeps us plugged in to the Source. I'm reminded of the children's song from VBS, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..."
How do you stay connected with the Lord? How do you see evidence of spending time with Him play out In your life or In the lives of others?
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