Thankful for the Son

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:3

After what seemed like a month’s worth of cold, gray and damp days the sun was finally shining over Kansas. There is nothing like a little sun to help lift people’s spirits and make us thankful for the light and warmth that it brings. Whenever the sun breaks through the gloom of a cold gray day it reminds me of Jesus and that magnifies the effects of the sun shiny day.

I really like how this week’s passage describes Jesus. The Son (that is Jesus) as the radiance of God’s glory. Radiant like the sun only magnified oh I don’t know maybe a million times or a billion times. Back in the Old Testament book of Exodus we can catch a glimpse of just how radiant God is. After talking with God on the mountain, Moses’ face reflected God’s radiant glory. Sort of like a supernatural, but painless Son burn. The first time the people saw Moses with his radiant face they were afraid because they knew that he had talked to God and lived. That first time Moses shared the words of God with the people and then covered his face. Going on from there when the people saw Moses’ radiant face, they knew the he had been talking with God and that no doubt he had a message for them. So imagine how bright God’s glory really is. Just the thought of that makes me thankful, what about you?

During Jesus’ time on this planet I think we catch some glimpse of His radiance – when he is baptized, on the mountain with Moses and Elijah, after His resurrection and perhaps at His ascension. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the radiance of God and an exact representation of God’s all sustaining power.

Was there radiance in his sun kissed face? Was there radiance in his calloused hands? Was there radiance in his dusty feet? What about in his tears or in his sweat in the garden? Was there radiance in His nail scarred hands and feed? Was there radiance in His healing touch or in His words? I think the answer of course is yes. His humanness may have acted like Moses’ veil, but I believe it was there just under the surface beaming out from His heart and just controlled enough so that He could walk and talk with us.

On this particular sunny day, that has chased the gray away I am thankful for the sun and I am so much more thankful for the Son – how about you?

A Prayer
Father – Thank you for the sun and thank you for Your Son who shows us your radiant glory and your all sustaining power. Remind us when the sun breaks through the clouds that Jesus came to set us free and purify us from our sin and for that we thank you. As we draw nearer to You help our lives to reflect a bit of His radiance to those around us. In the name of Jesus, who shines with His Father’s glory. – Amen.