One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.” Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.” The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.” Exodus 33:12-23

When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord. So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over, and he talked with them. Then all the people of Israel approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the Lord had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord. Exodus 34:29-35

--- The Word of God for us, the People of God ---

It’s hard to miss the shine on the face of someone who has been in the presence of holy God. Moses didn’t have a clue that he looked any different for the days he’d spent in close communion with God. But the people saw it right away; there was a radiance that was unmistakably holy.

I sensed that in my friend’s voice when he got on the phone. James Emmons[1] is a dear Christian friend of more than 20 years. James is my age, except his birthday comes a month before mine, so, when I call to recognize his May birthday, I always say, Happy Birthday, you old coot! (A month later he returns the favor).

We have labored together for Christ, sharing ministry at the same church, I as pastor, and James as chair of the Deacon body. He has been on our prayer list of late. My friend was diagnosed a couple of months ago with stage 4 lung cancer. He was never a smoker, and always very conscientious about health issues. Nonetheless, the doctor said it was serious, and he called it stage 4! That is a frightening phrase.

When James called me this past Monday, he shared how this unexpected journey has turned from the horror of stage-4 into an epic message of God’s glory.

The diagnosis

“Cancer” is never a good word to hear from your doctor. Lung cancer carries images of gasping for breath in the last stages. My uncle had lung issues in his final years and couldn’t walk from his chair to the table (about 5 steps) without stopping at least twice.

But the doctor added another word to James and Brenda’s burden, inoperable. Between lymph nodes and the maturity of where it was located, there was no way to get at it, so surgery was eliminated. The only possibility to arrest the growth was with chemotherapy and radiation. Before a final decision was made, they had to do a scan of his brain to make certain the cancer hadn’t spread there.

The possibility

When James and Brenda kept the appointment with the doctor to find out the results of the brain scan, they were relieved to find out the test came back negative. The doctor wanted to do one more test for the outside chance that James’ cancer contained a mutation, which, if it did, would mean there was a new medication that would eliminate chemo. That possibility would provide more hope, because the new drug was extraordinarily successful in stopping this cancer – just about 100%.

When the Glory piled on

The test for the mutant gene came back positive, but the good news was short-lived. The doctor told James only 25% of those who applied for the drug were approved.

But a 1-in-4 chance sounded good after searching for a mutation that had even lower expectations. They applied.

As with roller coasters, what goes up (in this case, hope), also often comes down. Another friend was visiting when James found out the 25% qualification was, in his case, only around 4%. My friend is a card-carrying, faith-believing, disciple of Jesus Christ, but this all-out assault was rocking the fear boat, and it’s hard to stand steady when the wind blows that hard!

The friend was there at the right time. He told James, are you kidding? This is great news. If it was 25% and you got the drug, some people who need to believe won’t be too impressed; they’ll think it was the luck of the draw. But you’re down to 4% chance; God’s gonna get ALL the credit with this thing.

As it turned out, the roller coaster did the other thing too…it had come down, but now the news came that he was qualified to get the wonder drug. Glory!

And then the roller coaster’s bottom dropped out. It would cost $12,000 a month. James isn’t destitute, but this was out of the question. It seemed life’s more sinister and uncaring chance was going to have the final say. Bummer!

And then, as surely as night follows day, and the summer follows winter, God took one last, decisive swing of the bat, and knocked the ball out of the ballpark. The price tag for this life-saving drug for my friend, James Emmons, was crossed-off altogether. His $400-a-dose medication would be totally absorbed in another miracle. There’s not even a $10 co-pay!

Glory!! Say it again, GLORY!

And, if you’re facing something like my friend James recently did, perhaps you’d like to write down this verse to keep it handy when the ordeal gets tough.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

Rechecking the Math

James Emmons went from STAGE-4 “oh my” to a tiny gene possibility, and then to a 25% drug-available possibility, to a 4% possibility, to a fortune-high barricade reality. And God wiped away everything, pushed aside every threat, fear, and laughed in Satan’s face. Whatever the enemy wanted with James Emmons, God was having none of it!

And so, we come to the Glory-table

Allow me to state the obvious connection to this table. It was Friday. The disease of sin had a debt owed; it would claim a life. Your life, mine, and the rest of humanity, one at a time…whoever was guilty.

It was worse than stage-4; this was a stage-end! The statistic on sinners is 100%. Isaiah said it, all we, like sheep, have gone astray. Apostle Paul finished the sentence:

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23

When Jesus was put on the cross the Enemy, Satan, the arch-deceiver, and enemy of humanity, was licking his chops, savoring his victory; he had won.

He had won…….NOTHING.

Satan didn’t count on the 4% shine factor. Friday may have been dark, but Sunday was coming! And, much like cancer that doesn’t stand a chance against my friend James’ medicine, death didn’t have a chance of holding Jesus in the grave.

And for those who come to this table in faith, knowing that the One we remember at this table is not dead, but lives forever, He has said we will too.

Can we say it?

Glory!

Our Prayer

Father God, as we come to this table, help us to celebrate your life-giving power with every bit of our spirit, flesh, soul, and mind. May we bring so much praise to your name in this simple act of remembering Jesus’ death that the glory of your fellowship would radiate on our faces for every unbeliever to take note when we pass by.

For the glory, honor, and praise to which You alone are worthy, o Lord, we pray in the Name of the Son, cooperating with the Spirit, to honor and exalt the Majesty of the Father.