No Filter Needed:
The Secret to Living with the Glow of God
By Justin Pratt, Clear Springs Baptist
If you’ve ever seen a commercial for skincare products, you might believe that the secret to radiant, glowing skin lies in a $79 bottle of some special serum. Imagine a woman standing in front of her bathroom mirror, hair pulled back, applying creams, scrubs and toners with the precision of a scientist and the patience of a saint. Her routine includes exfoliation on Monday, hydration on Tuesday, a charcoal mask on Wednesday, and if all else fails, a social media reel demonstrating how to mash a banana with a teaspoon of honey for a mask that promises to deliver the glow you’re looking for. While I’m not sure that the mask will actually make you shine, I’m pretty confident that if you go outside afterward, the bees and monkeys will be drawn to you!
Let’s be honest, most of us appreciate a good glow. We notice it. Whether it’s from a good night’s rest or really good lighting, something is appealing about a face that shines. But there’s another kind of radiance no cream can create and no camera filter can fake.
According to Exodus 34, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, his face shone, not due to a beauty routine, but because he had been in the presence of God (Exodus 34:29). This radiance was not a cosmetic effect; it was a sacred phenomenon. He had stood in the light of divine glory, and that light remained on him for the world to see. Although Moses himself didn’t notice or acknowledge this change, the people around him could not ignore the fact that his radiance was evidence of a divine encounter.
Today, the call to believers who follow Christ is to let our faith shine brightly. The world does not need to see more filters; it needs to see more followers whose lives reflect the transformative presence of Christ. Jesus stated, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This verse describes a life that shows visible evidence of an inward transformation. We should ask ourselves: What caused Moses’ face to shine so brightly?
It is important to understand that Moses didn’t come down from the mountain glowing because of something he had done; he radiated from being in the presence of the Lord. He had spent forty days and nights alone in a secluded place, uninterrupted. During this time, God revealed Himself to Moses, answering his request: “I beseech thee… show me thy glory” (Exodus 33:18). The response Moses received was not a display of dazzling lights, but rather a revelation of God’s character. Moses didn’t just hear words; he truly experienced them.
The truth remains constant: being close to the true nature of God transforms us. It leaves a lasting impression. When he descended, the people didn’t require a testimony or a sermon to know he had been with God; they could see it. In that moment, Moses had become a living lamp, reflecting the God he knew and served.
The same God who caused Moses’ face to shine still meets with His people today. The more we draw near to Him in our own private place of prayer, worship and surrender, the more His nature begins to surface in our own. Our attitudes, words and actions should quietly announce to the watching world: “I’ve been with Him.” The world may not understand it, but they’ll see it. A peace that steadies. A joy that disarms. A love that reflects Heaven.
The presence of God in our lives is not mystical; it is relational. Our time spent with Him serves as visible evidence of a man or woman who has been in communion with Jesus. The question is not whether Christ’s light can shine through us; it’s whether we will stay close enough to Him for it to do so. Go and let your light shine!
