Radiant Christians

 

A woman who was more than 80 years old related a personal experience that had profoundly influenced her life. She said, “I recall that when I was a child, I used to watch a precious old saint in church as with closed eyes he sang with head thrown back and with tears trickling down over a perfectly radiant face, ‘Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing!’

Sometimes he sang in tune and sometimes way off, but nobody cared because he sang with his whole heart. I don’t remember a single word he ever said, but I was profoundly impressed by his face. I wanted to be a Christian like that. Since then I have often prayed, ‘O Father, help me to be a radiant Christian.'”

Psalm 34 breathes with the spirit of exuberant confidence and faith in God. David wrote “I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles” (vv.4-6).

David lived as a fugitive, afraid of King Saul who relentlessly pursued him because he was jealous of David’s popularity. Danger seemed to follow David wherever he went.  It was in that very depressing state that he wrote Psalm 34. He wrote “I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears”.

David’s fears came as a result of traumatic experiences in his life and the unknown future that he faced. He had witnessed God's faithfulness on many occasions. Even though he had seen God work on his behalf, on this occasion he was still afraid. But once more he instantly sought the Lord. God responded to his prayer and delivered him from all his fears.

God delivers his children from all fears. He sweeps our fears away as the winds clear away the mists. For David, to be delivered from all troubles must have been a great relief but to be delivered from all fears was wonderful. He knew that the God who had freed him from the present trouble was able to save him from the evil to come. Now he could enjoy not only tranquility but security, a privilege only of the godly.

David knew from his own experience that God hears our cries, He truly listens to us. God had heard his prayers before. He knew the phrase 'prayers go up, blessings come down' is true. He had seen it play out in his life numerous times. God is always watching and waiting for our prayers. Develop a habit of seeking him in prayer during both good and challenging times.

God delivered David from all his fears. Fear is a common human experience.  It sneaks into our heart and steals our peace. Fears sneaks in when we are at risk of losing something: our wealth, health, position, family or friends. At night our minds begin turning over a million what-ifs about tomorrow, filling us with anxiety about circumstances beyond our control.

Fear reveals our innate desire to protect the things and the people we love, rather than fully entrusting them to God’s care and control.The message to “fear not” appears so frequently in the Bible. The Bible provides an anchor to hold you fast as you weather the storm. You discover that during trouble God is always near and the strength you need to move past fear is with you all along.

In Psalm 56 which was written at the same time as Psalm 34, David declared, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Ps. 56:3,4). In Psalm 27, David stated “The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?  ...Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident (vv.1-3).

Fearfulness is an enemy of the believer. When fear takes over, it cripples us emotionally and saps us spiritually. Fear can be paralyzing, robbing us of joy and peace. But when we entrust our anxieties to the Lord, He grants us the courage to face our fears with confidence. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7).

In Isaiah 41:13 we read “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you”. Irrational fears or even legitimate ones, do not need to terrify us. Our Father in heaven is all-wise and all-loving. When fear starts to overwhelm us, we should remember our God’s command “Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you” (Isa. 41:13).

Fear reveals an mistrusting heart. The remedy for fear is trust in God. When we trust the reality of God’s presence, power, and protection, we can have peace at all times. When we trust Him to be in control we have no fear. The awe of his greatness helps put our fears into perspective. When we remember who God is, we can relax into his peace even in the midst of threats.

God keeps in perfect peace those whose mind is focused on him (Isa. 26:3). When we focus on God our fears fade. When we believe that he is good, we can release our fears. The psalmist said “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live” (Ps. 116:1-2).

God wants to know all that concerns us and that includes the good and the ugly parts of our lives. When we seek him and make our concerns known to him, he will fill us with his peace. An amazing thing happens when we give God our fears. He infuses us with faith and hope. We can talk with God at any time and in any place. This is a great way to live in the presence of God.

Those who look to him are radiant. Radiant is a word that could be used to describe the beauty of sunrise. When you turn your eyes towards light and light shines on you, you become radiant. Those who always keep God in view are radiant. When Moses came from God’s presence people saw the radiant glow of Moses’ face even though he was oblivious to it (Ex. 34:29-35).

David has witnessed how God’s saints radiate confidence and joy. God brightens their lives and days even in the midst of great turmoil. As long as their eyes are turned towards him they radiate his glory; they are full of life, expectation and joy. One of the Christians mission on earth is to be a beacon of hope for the world. They radiate the beauty of God’s presence at all times.

When we turn our attention away from things that disturb and intentionally set our gaze on him, we will be radiant.Those who look up to Him with confidence are radiant. The inner joy bubbles over and reveals itself in their eyes and face. Having put their trust in God they are not disappointed and no shadow of shame darkens their faces. The face is a mirror of the heart, do people see Jesus in you?

In moving from “I” to “they,” David indicates that this experience was not peculiar, it was matched in the lives of all the faithful. Many others have known and will know what it is to seek God and receive His help. Reliance on God will never proof to be vain or foolish. He who trusts in God should not fear shame, time and eternity will both justify his decision. He will find God to be all that he expected or hoped that he would be.

This poor man called and the Lord heard him.  It was a poor man's cry, but it was none the less powerful, for the Lord heard him and responded. The psalmist said "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! (Ps.130:1). Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress and he hears my voice (Ps.55:17); to my God I cried for help… he heard my voice and my cry to him reached his ears (Ps.18:6).

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (1 Peter 3:12). To get God’s attention you need to be righteous. If you are then the ever-present, all-knowing and all-powerful God will give you his full attention when you pray.

There is no safety in this world. The only safe place is God Himself. When storm clouds gather and calamities loom, we must run into His presence in prayer. When we are bewildered by our problems and we are surrounded by our enemies, we can hide ourselves in God.

Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God. If we were to find safety this world, we would never know the joy of God’s love and protection. We would miss the happiness for which we were made.