Exodus 34:29 - Homilies By G. A. Goodhart

Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

His face "shone"—literally, "shot out rays"—as we say, was irradiated , became radiant . Notice:

I. THE CAUSE OF THE PHENOMENON . "Talked with him." Self had been forgotten in communion with Jehovah, in hearing him and attending to his utterances. It is from such communion as this that the radiant countenance results.

1 . What the communion is . God a Spirit. Communion must be spiritual The fleshly face cannot directly reflect spiritual light, that light "which never was on sea or land." Spirit is kindled by spirit, the human by the Divine, when spirit meets with spirit and realizes the sympathy which exists between them.

2 . What the communion does . The illuminated spirit, reflecting God, kindled into brilliancy by his light, cannot but shine out through the fleshly envelope which shrouds it. [Illustration: As opaque porcelain shade to lamp, so is the body to the spirit; light the lamp, illuminate the spirit, and the shade, in either case, becomes radiant.] If you would have a happy face, a radiant countenance, you must first have an illuminated spirit. That can only be gained from the Fount of light in and through communion with God.

II. UNCONSCIOUSNESS OF THE SUBJECT OF THE PHENOMENON . "Wist not." His face was radiant, but Moses knew nothing of it. His mind was so full of God that his attention was drawn off from all thought of his appearance. Notice:

1 . All sincerity forgets egotism ( F . W . Robertson). Attention is a fixed quantity; to fix it on God is to draw it off from self [cf. a lock on a river; open the flood-gates of communion and the level of self-love is soon lowered].

2 . Radiancy cannot be obtained by trying for it . If aim in prayer is to increase self-glory, it cannot succeed. God first; God all in all; then comes the illumination, and the light flows forth. Self lost in God [cf. wick saturated with oil] before we can ray out the light of God. How many selfish prayers are offered, and the countenances of those who offer them are often anything but radiant! The puritanical cast of countenance repels by its gloom rather than by its brilliancy. The best prayer is that which rises from communion; which seeks first, as in Christ's model prayer, that God's name may be hallowed, and his kingdom come, and his will be done, before going on further to seek satisfaction for personal needs.

Conclusion .—Do you want to have a radiant face? The best way is not to think about it. Lose self, as Moses did, in communion with God; then your face will be radiant, though you know it not.— G .