I read posts written by scholarly women like Jennifer, and Jennifer, and I am humbled by their wisdom. I long for the knowledge they possess. I love my God, and I want to know as much as I can about Him.
This does not, however, stop me from starting grandiose thoughts in my head. My problem lies in seeing these thoughts to completion.
So please forgive my elementary knowledge, and bear with me as I try to explain the thoughts bouncing around inside my head.
I have been hearing a lot lately about the face of God. I have never really heard this term before, and I am intrigued by it.
My husband is watching 'The Truth Project' with his co-workers, and they have spent the last few weeks talking about evolution. The video explains that evolution was essentially made up by men who absolutely did not want to look upon the face of God. Rather than acknowledge that there is a Holy God, which is evident in creation, and in the intricacies in each living being, they made up a theory that gave them a way out. A way to turn their faces away from God, and put their faith in something else.
They also talked about a new movement called 'post-modernism'. They described this movement as believing that we are not a part of a grander plan. That history is not connected, and that what we each do today has no effect on what people in the future do. We are each living out our own story, and our story has nothing to do with anybody else's story. I think this is depressing! And I believe that this is another lie made up to avoid acknowledging God. To avoid looking at His face.
We do this today too, as Christians. (Myself included.) We make up reasons to not look at God. We turn our attention elsewhere, and avoid seeking the glorious face of God. We become too busy to take a moment and look into the beautiful face of the God who loves us deeply.
I can understand why people would want to avoid looking at God's face. His glory.
Standing in the light of His glory is a humbling experience more powerful than any other. For it is in the light of His glory that we see all our flaws. Our sins, our ugliness, our imperfection. We become aware of just how broken we are.
For believers, standing in His glory, becoming aware of our flaws, is followed by an even more humbling experience.
His grace.
Something more powerful, more wonderful than anything else. It is completely undeserved by us, and yet completely essential.
It is His grace that brought God to earth to be born in a stable. To live a life of ridicule and rejection, and later to die a painful death. It is His grace that attached every one of our sins to the body of the perfect Man. It is His grace that saved us from our sin.
The Bible says:
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
-2 Chronicles 7:14
So we need to seek His face. And turn from our wicked ways. Then he will forgive our sins.
And the face of God will be a glorious thing to behold. A lovely thing. A breathtakingly beautiful thing to behold.
And the face of God will be a glorious thing to behold. A lovely thing. A breathtakingly beautiful thing to behold.
I think about the incredible feeling we experience when we see someone we love, whom we haven't seen in a while. We think about seeing them again...we imagine in our heads what it will be like when we reunite. We have pictures in our heads of shortening the distance, running with our arms spread open, until we embrace the person we are so grateful for.
If we look forward to a reunion with another person like this....imagine how much more powerful it will be when we can behold our God, our Jesus...face to face.
If we look forward to a reunion with another person like this....imagine how much more powerful it will be when we can behold our God, our Jesus...face to face.
-I would love to learn more about the face of God. If anyone reading this knows more about what this means, I would like to hear what you have to say!
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5 comments:
No words of wisdom from me Renee. And if I ever share words of wisdom----it's only because I come from the school of hard knocks.
I'll have to share my testimony one day with you. You'd probably be shocked. However, my encounter with God humbled me prostrate and gave me a deeper appreciation and grasp of His grace.
Without Christ, I am nothing. I have nothing to boast about.
I just read this recently, "not everyone can look back to a family that supported them and pointed them toward God. But the Good Shepherd does not limit his sheep to only those from good families."
I believe the same can be said about wisdom too. The Good Shepherd will grant you wisdom if you ask----you need not be brought up and raised as a Christian from birth. That's not my lineage either. (although I grew up in a "christian" home per se)
My brain is in shut down mode---it's almost 2:00 AM I need to get in bed. The baby will be up in a few hours......Yikes.
The only wisdom anyone truly has is from the Lord. I know you may not have grown up in a Christian home, but that doesn't mean you don't have the kind of wisdom God gives. You have the Holy Spirit living in your heart and that means you hold the key to all the wisdom you will ever need. Your posts show your love for the Lord and desire to please Him and that is true wisdom.
You wrote beautifully and wisely Renee! He will give you the words when you need them. I know your feelings, I struggle with not being knowledgeable enough to speak or being able to convey my message appropriately - but He will meet us where we need Him.
Thanks for this post. I enjoyed reading it!
Beautiful post.
This is something I certainly struggle with. I don't always want to look upon the face of God because that means things I should change (sin)will be illuminated. What a tough challenge that is. How I'm missing out when I choose to look away, though.
Here for a brief catch-up session tonight! And here I am, in linky form! :)
I think the other Jen is right... the best way to learn is from experience, just like you're learning. I did grow up in a Christian home, a Christian school, and in church, and I'm thankful for the education I received. HOWEVER, it was very incomplete and lacking, and as an adult I found my walls crumbling at several different times in my life. It was a horribly insecure feeling, but it had to be done, I see that now. I had a foundation, but the walls were shaky. So, God took them down and built again. And He probably will again, one day... He's not through yet, I'm sure.
You're wiser than you realize, and it's very exciting for us to see you growing and learning and gaining wisdom! God is the best Teacher there is, I've discovered. And just think what the future holds, both for you and for your girls. They will go farther and grow wiser than you can imagine. It's amazing.
About the face of God - I'll give you my unscholarly and uneducated opinion. (I'm really not a scholar, just a a reader and a quoter!!) What I think of when I think of the face of God is God's favor resting upon me, the light of His countenance resting upon mine. For Him to be able to look upon me is only possible through Jesus Christ...
We naturally want to hide our faces when we feel ashamed, and even in the Psalms we hear David say, "turn your face away from me..." But now, because of Christ, we are told to run to God with our sins! "Here! See what I have done! Look at it, all of it! I have done all of this...Please, have mercy..."
And He does. He looks, He sees, and He is not disgusted, He does not turn away. He shines His grace, His favor, upon us and we are forgiven. We were forgiven, long ago. We were bought with a high price.
This is the gift of Christmas!
Blessings upon you, Renae. You have God's favor.
Love,
Jen
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