In my message, “The Planted Life,” at Eastbrook yesterday, I shared a quotation from St. Athanasius related to Psalm 1 and the invitation to meditate on the Word of God. Athanasius was a 4th century bishop in Egypt and advocate for orthodox faith reflected in what we now know as the Nicene Creed. He speaks of our meditation on God’s instruction in this way:
The splendid brilliance of God’s grace never suffers an eclipse. No, it is always at hand to enlighten the inner thoughts of those who really want it. Great good comes to people who, enlightened by the grace of God, make it their habit to apply the truths of holy Scripture to their lives. They receive just such a blessing as the psalmist describes….Those blessings come because the person who accepts God’s grace is not illumined by mere physical light from the sun, the moon or even the whole host of stars. Rather, he glows all over with the radiant brilliance of God. [1]
This image of light is so striking, bringing to mind Moses’ descent from Mount Sinai after he had met with God. We read about it in Exodus:
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. (Exodus 34:29-33)
May we delight ourselves in God’s way and instruction to such a degree that God’s glory might also radiate from our lives.
[1] Athanasius, “Festal Letters 5.1,” quoted in Craig A. Blaising and Carmen S. Hardin, eds., Psalms 1-50, ACC, OT VII (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2008), 7.
Renovate 