The Face Of Grace

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." - Psalm 42:5 KJV

What a great verse. The last part is very interesting in Hebrew. It could be loosely translated.

'I will thank Him because His facial expressions save me.'

Ever have a friend who jokes with you and just lightens the heavy situation by their humor. That is what I think of. A person giving you a hand to get up when you fall and laughing with you about it because they are one with you. Perhaps it is a face of tenderness instead or humor but it is never a face of disdain or anger. All of God's anger at sin was poured out already on the cross.

Grace shows us God's friendly compassionate even humorous face.

Paniym (Strong's H6440) is the word for face or countenance in the Hebrew and it is a plural word because a face is not frozen is moves and changes. All of God's many faces save us.

We have been ushered into the family of God because of what Jesus did on our behalf. We get the face from the Father that Jesus gets from the Father. Those faces save us again and again.

Funny isn't it. God is invisible to us. We don't see Him like we do our friends or family. We see His face through the scripture and at times through Spirit filled people that know God.

Jesus had the Father's face. Now we can have a reflection of that face also as the light of God's love shines through us. We can smile as we give someone a hand and even joke with them. We can make light of things and be serious about others as we fellowship in the Spirit.

God, Give us a face only evil wants to hide from. A face that reflects your glory and points people to You.

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