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“God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
—Eric Liddell, gold medal Olympian 1924
Do we feel God’s pleasure? God’s pleasure is felt when we seek His face in prayer.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
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In the book, The Other Half of Church, we learn from Dr. Allan Schore, a UCLA professor, that the human brain develops through joy and attachment. Joy is “someone who is glad to be with me” and “being the sparkle of someone’s eye.” Our brain looks specifically to the face of another person to find joy.
Our brains run on joy like cars run on fuel.
Brain science is now discovering what God knew all along: God designed our brains for joy, and He wants us to live in the glow of His delight. Essentially, joy is God’s face lighting up when He sees us because He is glad to be with us.
Psalm 89:15-16 NASB
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! LORD, they walk in the light of Your face.
Psalm 4:6-8 NLT
Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
Let your face smile on us, Lord.
7 You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
May God be merciful and bless us.
May his face smile with favor on us.
Numbers 6:24-26 NASB
The Lord bless you, and keep you;
25 The Lord cause His face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His face to you,
And give you peace.’
John 15:11 AMP
11 I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.
Paraphrase: “My Father’s face lights up when He sees Me because I’m so special to Him. I’m telling you this so that you will feel how special you are to My Father and to Me. Our faces are shining on you with delight.”
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Reflect and Respond: Yesterday we learned 6 emotions can overwhelm us: sadness, fear, anger, disgust, despair, and shame. But when we fix our eyes on Jesus’ face and see His delight in us, we can experience joy in suffering. Joy will sustain us! Gratitude is the doorway that puts us in a state of mind to receive more joy.
By seeking God’s face, we seek joy, and in seeking God’s joy, we reorient ourselves to receive more of Him and to be transformed into the likeness of Christ.
As time allows, choose 1-2 Scriptures above to meditate on and seek God’s face today. Ask the Lord to bring to mind something you are grateful for because of that Scripture. Allow gratitude to begin your prayer time. Abide in Him, knowing He delights to be with you!
Today's reading was adapted from the books, The Other Half of Church and Transforming Prayer.