In the book of Exodus, when Moses was up on Mt. Sinai receiving instructions from God, he was fully exposed to the glory of God. And it affected him. He would come down off the mountain, back into the camp of the Israelites, and his face would, quite literally, be lit up. It was so powerful that Moses would put on a veil so as not to frighten his fellow Hebrews.
This continued for some time as Moses would travel back and forth, receiving from God the plans for the tabernacle, the House of God among God's people.
Paul picks up on that in 2 Corinthians. But his focus is not on the veil, but rather on the veil being removed. Moses would hide the glory of God reflected in his face out of respect and toleration toward the rest of the Israelites in camp. Paul talks about how, in Christ, the veil is removed and we stand before the world as mirrors, reflecting that same glory of God.
Except that glory is from the Lord who is Spirit. That Spirit came upon us at Pentecost. Step by step, we can be greater and greater revelations of the glory of God, when we give our lives over to Christ. It is in that reflection that the ministries in which we engage will reach out and touch the world.
The passages for Sunday worship are Exodus 34: 29-35 and 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2. I invite you to read ahead and reflect (pun intended) on what it means to demonstrate the glory of God in our lives.
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