29 July 2015 - radiance therapy

Then the children of Israel would see
that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant;
so he would again put the veil over his face
until he went in to converse with the LORD.

The presence of God is amazing. His revelation to us changes us and makes us visibly different. It does so even more for us than it does for Moses.

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? (cf. 2 Cor. 3:7)

After all, "the law came in to increase the trespass". Without grace it merely makes us more aware of the sin we commit without providing any remedy "but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (cf. Rom. 5:20).

Everyone at the time of Jesus is familiar with the letter of the law which brings death (cf. 2 Cor 3:6). Yet most don't realize the shortcomings of the letter of the law. They don't realize that it is missing the Spirit, the only one who can make real change happen in us. Most end up focusing on external stuff which they can easily control to make themselves feel OK. They ignore the depths of the heart where sin still lurks.

Saint Martha knows about the letter of the law. But she finds the one who has the words of Spirit and of life (cf. Joh. 6:63). She knows that the presence of this one is the difference between life and death.

Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”

The letter of the law is powerless in the face of death. But not Jesus. It is impossible that death to hold him (cf. Act. 2:24). The Spirit within him is the source of the righteousness which the law can define but which it can never give. He shares this righteousness with us, making us the very righteousness of God (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21) and invalidates deaths claim on us. 

If Moses shined when he received the law and spoke with God is it any wonder that he bears testimony to the infinitely greater light that shines from Jesus at his transfiguration (cf. Mat. 5:17). Jesus himself is the only source of life. He is the only hope of resurrection.

Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Since this is so let us spend our time listening at his feet and serving him in all things. The better part of listening does not make serving the LORD bad. Both, in fact, are vital. The LORD will give us time enough for both. But let us teach our hearts to long for the time when the one needful thing fills our entire vision, our entire life!

Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!