Touched by Glory
Strength for the Challenges Ahead
Photo by Sergey Pesterer on Unsplash
Exodus 33:12-23
Longing for Reassurance
One exceptional sunset carved a permanent place in my memory. God used the blush of that evening to make a sacred imprint, one I desperately needed but never expected. He met my longing for reassurance with a glimpse of glory from my hospital bed.
Extensive surgery had left me weak and discouraged. Each small movement of my body demanded careful orchestration to avoid pain. Worse, my heart hurt too. I missed my children, too young to understand my absence. Tears fell silently. In my vulnerable isolation, I doubted the inner strength to tackle the weeks of recovery ahead.
In the middle of my melancholy, I watched twilight approach from the view through the window. The transfixing glow from outside eased into my room. As the veil of dusk lowered, all light softened into gold. Yellows and oranges appeared with varied intensities as they swept through wispy clouds. I envisioned a master’s brush dipped in molten luminosity before making a giant stroke across the sky. Intuitively, my heart filled with God’s nearness. My imagination transformed the departing day into a vivid impression—the jeweled train of God’s royal robe, barely glimpsed in retreat as the sun passed the horizon.
God’s Answer to a Bold Request
The visual splendor of the setting sun reminded me of a bold request Moses uttered during the Exodus story. His heart’s need for reassurance bubbled up in the words: "Please, let me see your glory.” The immense task of leading difficult people through the wilderness and into enemy territory burdened his soul. Though God had already made his presence visible through fire and cloud, Moses yearned for more. He craved God’s intimate communion to tackle the challenges ahead.
However, Moses’ bold desire for a more tangible experience of his senses held danger for the man of flesh. Unshielded eyes burn to blindness when staring into the face of the sun. And mortal humanity cannot gaze upon the unveiled glory of God and live.
“God accommodated Moses’ weakness as he would tenderly respond to mine.”
God offered Moses a grace solution, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name of ‘the LORD’ before you. I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.” God accommodated Moses’ weakness as he would tenderly respond to mine.
God’s Glory Reassures
That evening, I imagined the barest glimpse of “the back of God” from my hospital window. Even in the brief twilight, my soul tasted a sweetness I can barely describe. God made His glory “visible” to me in response to my suffering and in a way I could receive it. The impression of his eternal goodness reassured the deepest crevices of my heart. But even more, God revealed himself as more than just an altruistic force of good. He reminded me he is a Person with a Name, who desires intimate fellowship with me.
Challenges still waited for Moses when he descended the mountain of God’s visitation. And on my own small hill, I battled through days of pain. Health returned, but life’s difficulties continued. Since then, whenever I need strength to persevere, I revisit the imprint of that sacred sunset vision. I recall the bliss of those moments, reaching again for the hem of his glorious garment as it brushes my soul.