S60P4 – The fruit of his holy presence: transformation

Exo. 34:29-30

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.  Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

I was kneeling at the altar confessing my sins and asking God, Jesus, whoever to save me.  I actually had not known what exactly I was doing or what it meant to be saved.  I was just a lost soul answering an altar call and deciding that my life would be better handled by God than by me.  In the moments that I knelt there praying, I heard a multitude of voices, and I felt like I was somewhere else.  I would open my eyes after that prayer to find myself in an empty sanctuary.  I believe in that moment that the Father allowed me to be in his presence, there in the heavenlies, to hear the heavenly host rejoice at my salvation.  I would be transformed in that moment although I did not know how or why.  It was undeniable that I had experienced something that changed me dramatically in a place that I could not explain.

Moses is a literal shining example of what happens to a person in the presence of God.  There is no way that we can experience him before us and not be changed.  Think about what happens to a person who meets their unattainable idol, the musician or performer who seems superhuman and out of reach.  A life can be dramatically changed by a handshake, a photo, and an autograph.  That is just a taste of the change we should experience when we get to meet God and enjoy his presence.  That is an interaction from which we leave transformed by the honor and privilege of being able to approach him.  There should be a noticeable difference in us, which is the effect that God’s glory has on a person.  It might not be visible, but it should be discernible.

There is a song that speaks of standing in awe of God.  I imagine that is how we should feel in his presence and how we should live afterward.  We not only stand in awe of God in that moment, but we are given fuel and excitement to live in that state of amazement.  This should be a lasting change that does not fade away over time.  As we continue to enjoy his presence time and again, we should be continually changed.  That is the power of God, that He need not utter a word or move a finger to transform us.  His mere presence is sufficient to effect change in his children.  Father, thank You for all the ways that your holy presence transforms us, and make us people who seek that change continually.