October 7, 2025

Oh Lord, You’re beautiful. Your face is all I seek. For when your eyes are on this child. Your grace abounds to me. (Keith Green) 

God turning His face to His people communicates an attentiveness to our needs and suggests His pleasure in our presence
(Numbers 6 22; Psalm 67:1).  

God allows His people to approach Him and share His pleasure, His grace, and His peace. He turns His face upon us to bless us. 

Make your face shine on your servant
    and teach me your decrees.
(Psalm 119:135) 

Queen Esther risked everything when she approached King Xerxes without an invitation. (Esther 5). Xerxes could have turned her away and punished her. The palace guards could have seized her. Instead, the king turned to her, received her, and extended his scepter to her. 

This is how God receives us. He does not grow angry or send us away. He has put His name on us through His son Jesus. We are the people of His pasture and the sheep under His care (Psalms 95:7), clothed with Jesus (Galatians 3:27) and washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelations 7:14). When God sees us, He sees his very own. 

 

  1. H. Spurgeon illustrates God’s grace and generosity this way:
  • When God forgives our sins, there’s more forgiveness to follow. 
  • He justifies us in the righteousness of Christ, but there’s more to follow. 
  • He adopts us into His family, but there’s more to follow. 
  • He prepares us for heaven, but there’s more to follow. 
  • He gives us grace, but there’s more to follow. 
  • He helps us to old age, but there’s still more to follow. 
  • Even when we arrive in the world to come, there will still be more to follow. 

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
(Philippians 3:7-9) 

Questions for reflection and discussion:   

  • How have you experienced God’s unmerited favor in your life? 
  • How has God’s favor brought peace in your life? 
  • Do you find joy in knowing that, as a believer, you can stand in God’s presence and see His face? 

Church Reading Plan: 1 Kings 10; Philippians 1