Paul begins by reminding his readers of the experience of Moses. He was called a friend of God (Exodus 33:11) since God chose to draw him to Himself: close enough to talk to Him. Yet, even so, when it came to the moment when God would reveal His glory, He urged Moses to hide himself in the cleft of a rock because the sight would be too much to bear. Whenever Moses met with God, his face would be so intensely glowing that he had to cover it with a veil so that onlookers would not be dazzled.

I remember as a teenager having that early excitement over meeting with God that many of you will have had. Church services were vibrant – not necessarily due to the content, but to my overflowing young heart being in love with Jesus. At that time, our youth leader was having a crisis of faith. Having been single for a long time, her heart craved the love of a man and she began to fall away from Jesus. One evening, she was in church. I came out of the service into the foyer, my heart full from the meeting. Seeing my grinning face, she came up to me and said, “You look happy. What’s his name?” My heart broke for her that night.

Paul writes in 3:14 that the hearts of the Israelites were made dull. It didn’t matter how much of God’s glory Moses was reflecting in his face, there were some (like my youth leader) who simply weren’t able to recognise it.

But there’s another side to this. The treasure we bear is within the plainness and ordinariness of our frail human bodies. The light of God is only revealed where there are cracks and openings in the clay jars. Too often, we disguise our problems, difficulties, weaknesses, putting on a mask and making out that “we’re fine, just fine.” Apart from the lies that we are thereby telling ourselves and others, there is a far greater danger here. When we’re sealed up tight, none of that light, that treasure we carry, that life-giving hope for others, can get out.

Back in the time of Moses, the veil he wore kept the people safe from over-exposure to God’s glory. Here and now, are we wearing masks that entirely obscure it?

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Jesus, I am challenged by the reality of Paul’s faith and his ability to admit to struggling. Through it, the light of your grace shines, giving hope in my own walk. Help me today to be that kind of example to others that they would know You more. Amen.