I’m sitting alone, looking out over the wilderness, feeling lost without the one who brought us here. He had left early one morning and not allowed anyone to go with him. He climbed the mountain with only two slabs of stone in his hands. He told us he was going to the highest point. That was forty days ago. When would he return? Was he even still alive? If not, what will we do? He is our leader…our spokesman…our guide. Suddenly, I hear shouting. I see people running. They are heading to the mountain! Looking in the direction of Mount Sinai, I have to shield my eyes because the sun seems to have settled on its peak, and beams of light are gleaming so brightly that I can’t look straight at it. I keep my gaze cast downward toward my feet and merge into the crowd, racing blindly into the light. Nearing the mountain, I hear indistinct cries swelling from up ahead that eventually break into whispers washing over me, “It’s Moses. He’s come back!” The crowd stops moving abruptly, and a collective gasp resonates from the front of the assembly. “What is it? What’s happening?” I ask. As word is traveling back through the mob, in a wave-like motion, men, women, and children are falling to their knees, placing their foreheads on the ground. I fearfully bow because now I know it’s not the brilliant glow of the sun illuminating the mountain. It’s the face of Moses, who has been in the presence of God. (Exodus 34:29–35).
Fast forward several thousand years. There is no mountain. There is no shimmering prince-turned-shepherd-turned-prophet holding tablets of stone. There is no blinded assembly. But God is here, and He invites you and me into His presence. Not just for forty days and nights but continually. When we choose to draw near to Him, His glory will be reflected in our own lives—it will radiate through our words and our actions. We will shine in this world for Him.
Shining God’s light begins by walking with Him daily. This means we choose every day to live in faithful obedience to Him and trust Him to lead our way. We talk to Him…without ceasing. Throughout the day, we involve Him in our celebrations and sorrows, in our questions and choices, in our fears and worries, and in simple conversation. We praise Him, thank Him, and beg Him for help. We immerse ourselves in His Holy story by reading His Word, knowing His Will, understanding His nature, and meditating on His promises. But it doesn’t stop there! Women who walk with God are not unaffected by His company. We know that who we spend time with is important because the Bible talks about it in different places and in a variety of ways:
“He who walks with wise men will become wise”…Proverbs 13:20
“Evil company corrupts good habits”…1 Corinthians 15:33
“As iron sharpens iron so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend”…Proverbs 27:17
When we spend time with God, His influence can be seen in our lives. We are changed by Him, and we shine as a reflection of His glory.
Women who walk with God shine His love. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love…If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:7, 8, 11). As God has loved us with faithful and unconditional love, so we reflect the same to others. Love describes the one to whom we belong and is foundational to who we are becoming. Without it, we cannot be women who walk with God!
Women who walk with God shine His grace. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3–4). God’s grace has provided us with a way to obtain salvation through the gift of Jesus Christ. We reflect His grace with the same desire that all people will come to know the truth about what Jesus accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection—and with a readiness to share that good news with everyone.
Women who walk with God shine His mercy. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3–4). Thanks be to God for not giving us what we deserve! As He is merciful, so we should be merciful (Luke 6:36).
Women who walk with God shine His kindness. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). God’s greatest act of kindness was manifested to us through the sacrifice of His Son. God saw what we needed, knew that He could meet our needs, and gave us Jesus. May we show kindness by always looking for ways that we can meet the needs of others?
Women who walk with God will not only shine His love, His grace, His mercy, and His kindness; we will also shine His goodness, His peace, His faithfulness, and more. But it doesn’t just happen. Shining takes intentionality and a whopping dose of humility. We have to be willing to trek mountains like Moses did. We also have to be willing to have God’s commandments written on our hearts (no more stone tablets!), and even more importantly, we have to be willing to obey them. Our blessing is that God is not waiting at the peak—He’s right by our side, walking with us and surrounding us with His eternal glory. In Psalm 34:4, David wrote these words of praise to God: “They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” Shine on!
