RADIANT WITH JOY: SPARKLING!!!
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoiceH8055. Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant with joyH5102; their faces shall never be ashamed.
Psalm 34:1-5
H5102 נָהַר nâhar, naw-har’; a primitive root; to sparkle, i.e. (figuratively) be cheerful; hence (from the sheen of a running stream) to flow, i.e. (figuratively) assemble:—flow (together), be lightened.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature
Hebrews 1:3a
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
Romans 8:29
And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure).
Malachi 3:17a (AMPC)
“Those who look to Him are radiant with joy”—sparkling! In Malachi 17, those who were loyal to the Lord, who did not chase after idols but remained faithful to the one true God, He called his “jewels.” Multi-faceted jewels sparkle, they shine, they reflect the light around them. Jesus is described as “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Jesus radiates the glory, love, and grace of the Father. Those of us who have been chosen by God, who have trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord—both men and women—are in the process of being “conformed to the image” of God’s Son, Jesus. If Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory, we are the Lord’s precious jewels, reflecting that glory and sparkling in a dark world. We stand out in this fallen world because we give off the light of Jesus’s love. In John 8:12, Jesus described Himself as the “Light of the world,” and in Matthew 5:14, Jesus told His disciples, “You are the light of the world.” We are to reflect the light of God’s glory, grace, and love to a lost and dying world. Our purpose is to sparkle!
Do you see yourself as a precious, priceless, sparkling jewel in the treasury of God? Do you realize that is the transformation that is taking place in your life? Perhaps you feel like you once sparkled but need to be cleaned up and polished. If so, apply 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God is willing and able to buff, polish, and sometimes grind off a layer to restore your sparkle that you may shine as His light in your part of this world. Sparkling does not depend on our surroundings or circumstances. Light seems brighter in an extremely dark place. When all around you seems dull and dim, trust in Jesus and keep on sparkling!
Father, we know we are Your precious jewels. May that radiance be seen on our faces, and sparkle in our interactions with others. May people be drawn to You because they see the reflection of Jesus in us.
Worship opportunity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fXDd72bKUk (lyrics following)
