2 Corinthians 3:18 “Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him.”
I have learned over many years that communication on the surface is about words, but behind the curtain it is all about so much more. One learns, refines, and deliberately sharpens the ability to pick up on non-verbal communication over time, with life experience, and even with training. So the other day when I was having breakfast with a dear friend and I said…”Brother, your face tells me you are feeling very heavy about something.” The mere observation brought tears to his eyes. Our faces are often the tattle-tales for what is going on in our hearts. Recently while under the scrutiny of a Dermatologist (took 6 months to get the appointment) she looked at my face with a magnifying glass. After putting the magnifier down she proceeded to tell me to begin using Neutrogena SPF 30 sun screen each day to preserve my already sun damaged face. Once when coming back from a vacation my head Deacon stuck his head in my office and said…”Nice to see your back, especially after seeing your face…” then he roared with laughter and walked down the hall. And of course I was once told I had the face of a Saint… and with a grin I was suspect of the compliment and surely enough it ended with the qualifier… A SAINT BERNARD! But there is no point in getting sensitive, because like everyone on the planet, my face is aging, though I don’t drool… at least not yet!
Remember when Jesus took a small group of the disciples up a high mountain by themselves, and He was there transfigured before them. And in Matthew 17:2 it says “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as a white light.” I sometimes feel that one of the benefits and purposes of worship is to change the face of the worshipper. To restore something of our radiance, our hope, our optimisms, and spiritual glow. The connection between the face and worship might be more joined than we think. Our face is the most public part of our bodies, covered less than any other area. It is also the most recognized part of our bodies. We don’t after all develop a church photo directory, or a school annual, with pictures of peoples feet, but rather our faces. I believe God desires to take our faces, this exposed and memorable part of our bodies, and use them somehow to reflect his glory and goodness. How and in what ways I will leave for you to ruminate upon. May the Sun, and even more the SON—SHINE WARM UPON YOUR FACE during these glorious summer months. He told me to tell you!
Numbers 6:25 The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.