Those Who Were There Can See the Change

Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Exodus 34:29

Occasionally, when I speak of my drug addiction in the presence of those who’ve only known me recently, they have a hard time believing it. That just doesn’t seem possible. It doesn’t seem like something you’d do. But was possible and I did it. They just weren’t there to see it. They only know me now. They weren’t there to witness the calamitous consequences of my toxic behavior. They’ve not witnessed any transformation. Those who were there then and now though – those like my wife who lived through it – have seen the change. It’s not uncommon for my wife to now say something to me like this – I like you so much better than I did 10 years ago. She was there for the destruction and she was there for the recovery. She’s seen my life pointed at me and she’s seen my life pointed at God. The difference to her is profound. She’s observed firsthand how faith has transformed everything about me. I’m far from perfect, but she can see that God has turned me into a very different person than I was 10 years ago.

Today’s passage tells of the transformation that comes from an intimate relationship with God. In the story, Moses came down from Mount Sinai where he’d been communing with the father. He didn’t realize it but when he returned, his face was glowing, reflecting the glory of God. Knowing God transformed him in a way that was obvious to everyone who saw him. Moses spent so much time with God that he couldn’t help but be affected in such a way that no one could miss it.

Can others say that about us? As Christians, we profess to have an intimate relationship with God and we claim to follow Christ above all. Is that obvious to the observer? If we were put on trial, accused of following Christ, would there be any evidence for it?

I go to church on Sunday. That would have been my answer 15 years ago. The problem is that, even while going to church, I wasn’t daily investing in my relationship with God. Rather, I was daily seeking my own appetite, which led to terrible consequences that everyone could see. Recovery then, has meant abandoning me to follow God. Again, I’m far from perfect. I still have my struggles. But I think anyone who was there then and now, can see that a relationship with God has radically transformed my entire life.

As we daily invest in seeking and knowing God, he changes us in a way that will be obvious to all.