"Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony … when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him" (Exodus 34:29,30).

The shining of Moses' face was the reflection of that law which man could not stand. He therefore covered his face because every ray that shone from it made a demand upon man which he could not meet and made him fear. Where did Moses get this glory? He was alone with God on the mount and God's glory was reflected upon his face when he went down.

Paul uses this to illustrate what happens to us when we spend time in the presence of our Lord Jesus and are occupied with His glory—"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Even though it is the whole glory of God itself shining forth, we have no fear because we have righteousness, not condemnation, as a result of the completeness, sufficiency, and fullness of Christ's finished work.

As I look at this glory it has a formative power in me! You can never convey to another what it is to sit engrossed with that blessed One, but it is a reality that the one who does so contracts moral likeness to Him. You know perfectly well what it is to meet a person who gives your heart the sense that he or she has been with Christ. How often is that true of us? Sadly, we too often leave on others the impress of ourselves rather than that of Christ.

Now, may I ask you affectionately, how much time do you really spend in the Lord's presence? Do you not know that for there to be great outgoings there must be great incomings, that there will be no outshining if there is no in-shining? We need to take time out to sit down in His blessed, holy, glorious presence and there find our delight in Him.

—W.T. Turpin