God smiles at us
"GOD smile on you and gift you, GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper" Num 6:25-27 (Msg)
Two weeks ago, Hugh gave a sermon about God smiling on us. It's been playing in my mind and really challenged me on my own view of God and everything else.
As I mentioned before, last year was a tricky year for me. Things were just hard, there were many joyful things and also many difficult things thrown in as well. I was tired and discouraged and at points finding it difficult to trust that God had it all under control.
This idea that "God smiles on us" really challenged me! I know that God is a loving, gracious, merciful God and that He died for us, which is why I don't want to disappoint Him. Therefore, I tried to do many things to make God happy. I help with this and that ministry, I try to grow myself up by doing more and more. I keep running this hard marathon in the hope that somehow I'm repaying what God had given me.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with that, but along the way, I have forgotten the fact that God smiles at me. He's already happy with me. His face when I look up is not an expecting, stern, frowning face, but a loving, happy, shining, smiling face.
Just as I watch my kids and can't help just to love them because of who they are, the same with God. He already loves us and allows us to just be. To enjoy His presence. To just sit by His side and do nothing.
It is that childlike innocence and faith in the loving Father that I've been missing in the midst of my busyness and hardship. I have forgotten in the One who would sit with me and enjoy fellowship together without having to do anything or show anything "worthy".
Personally, when I forgot about this, I found myself being ungracious, impatient, unloving and anxious around people. When I forgot that God loves us unconditionally and smiles at us, that I struggle to love the same.
After all, What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever.
We can only enjoy this relationship when we know that He is already happy with us. Even when we constantly fail and repeat the same mistake, He is happy with us. Even when we don't fully understand Him right now, He is happy with us. Even when we haven't got it all together right now, He is happy with us. Even when we don't fit in, He is happy with us. The prize is already ours in Jesus, this marathon is already done in Him and we can rest in Him.
I am praying that God will give you rest. "GOD smile on you and gift you, GOD look you full in the face and give you peace" Num 6:25-27