So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
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. Exodus 34:28
Lent Day 3 – Lord, Shine Your Face
Forty days and forty nights. One day in music class at the Catholic school where I teach part-time, we were talking about special songs for Lent.
I asked the students why Lent was forty days. They came up with Jesus going into the wilderness to fast for forty days. They thought of the rain of Noah coming down for forty days and nights.
The discussion led to us talking about the fact that forty is a number that comes up again and again in the bible.
Moses and the Miraculous Fast
Here is another of those instances. Moses meets with the Lord for forty days and nights, in a miraculous fast. God sustains him without food OR water for that length of time.
The ten commandments are inscribed on stone tablets by the living God and given to Moses.
Transformed
When Moses comes down from the mountain, he is different than when he went up to meet with God. He is literally transformed.
His face actually glows, reflecting the glory of God. He has seen the unseen God.
He talks with God and as God shines His presence on Moses, Moses’ own face begins to shine with the holy radiance of his Creator and Lord.
Our Forty Days
As we continue in these forty days of lent, let us meet with the God of Moses. Let Him shine His face on us as we sit in His presence and talk with Him.
As we set aside something and replace it with spending time with God, let us be transformed in His presence.
Action Step:
Our focus today is FASTING!
Fasting: giving up or skipping something in favor of spending time with God. Traditionally, not eating, but can be a fast from social media, television, books, or certain types of food or drink.
When you long for the thing you are fasting, it is a reminder to set aside what your selfish nature wants and connect with God.
What is something you can fast today (Lent Day 3 or all of Lent) and replace with a connection with God? Maybe you will skip eating lunch and have a meeting with God instead. Maybe you will cut out soda and every time you want soda and drink water instead, you pray. Maybe you will cut out social media and spend that time reading the bible.
What is the Holy Spirit leading you to fast today?
Prayer:
Dear God, help us to set aside what we want in favor of what You want today. Lead us in this area of fasting. Help us to grow in it and work out that muscle of self-denial. Shine Your face on us as we choose you rather than the things of this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Up NEXT…Click here for the Day 4 devotional:
