God's Decided To Be In A Relationship With You

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Psalm 67:1-2

These three requests are intertwined tightly and seem to me to be a single request. Or maybe three aspects or angles on the one. May God:
• Be gracious to us
• Bless us
• Make His face to shine upon us

If the last is an expression of God’s very Presence, which I think it is, then for sure He has been gracious to us! For sure He has blessed us! The idea that a person so unlike God could be in His very Presence – not a single time, barely escaping with his life, but as a lifestyle… as an everyday experience of walking with God – this is amazing! But how is it possible?

Answer: By His grace!

The Gospel (or Good News) of Jesus Christ is a message of God’s grace. He has pursued us with a persistent, amazing grace. God wants to walk in relationship with us. If we would seek Him with just a fraction of the energy He has pursued us with, that would be something great!

Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

When we are not walking in relationship with Jesus, He’s not the one missing. We have wandered in some other direction. We have allowed other things to come in-between us and Him. Christ is still there, patient and gracious… waiting for us to seek Him. We need to pursue Him, pushing through the obstacles that keep us from being in this vital, everyday relationship with Him.

As we pray this prayer: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us” (Psalm 67), we already know the answer. Because of His great love for us, Jesus will be gracious! He will bless us and live closely with us! He has already decided to do this. We need to decide that it’s a blessing we want.

When we walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7), notice the result:
• God’s ways and His salvation are made known on the earth (Psalm 67:2)
• We have fellowship with others who are pursuing God
• The blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin!

All of this (and more!) happens as we walk in daily relationship with the One who created us.

Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me in spite of my sin. I love You because You first loved me. You created this pathway where I can walk with You everyday. What a blessed man I am! Make Yourself known through me. Bring glory to Yourself and Your plan of salvation clear to others through my relationship with You. Help me to push through the things that keep me from You – especially the good and noble things! You alone are worthy… I live for You this day.