“And Jacob said, ‘Nay, I pray you, if now I have found grace in your sight, then receive my present at my hand—for, therefore, I have seen your face as though I had seen the Face of God and you were pleased with me’.”
Genesis 33:10
Anytime you experience Grace, you see it.
“The Face of God.”
How moving are these words from Jacob’s mouth. To think: Some 20 years before Esau had said “I’m going to kill you after Dad dies” (Gen. 27:41). And, now God had said “Go back home” (31:3a).
But, thankfully He added “And I will be with you” (31:3b).
Oh, dear Pilgrim, the Heavenly Father will never lead or send us where He will not accompany us and His Grace will not be sufficient for us (II Cor. 12:9-10). He is faithful and He cannot/will not lie (I Cor. 10:13; Heb. 6:18).
That’s why we need to always remember that when He’s called us to face our fears or, like the prodigal son and Legion, go home and “face the music” (Lk. 15:17-20a; Mk. 5:18-19). If He’s leading you to make a difficult decision or enter enemy territory, our Immanuel-God will “supply all of your needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
And, in the midst of it all it will be His Face that quiets your heart and mind.
Now, it’s true that no one at anytime has ever seen God’s Face. Moses didn’t that day when God passed by in the mountain; neither did Jacob actually see God’s Face that day when he wrestled with the angel near the Jabbok brook (Gen. 32:24-30).
But, it was his up-close-and-personal encounter with the angel that further fleshed out the vision he’d had of God over 20 years before at Beth-el as he fled from his brother’s wrath (Gen. 28:10-22). And, after having been surprised at Esau’s reaction to him upon their reunion that day (33:4), Jacob was overwhelmed by Grace-in-action and Mercy so undeserved.
That’s why he said “For when I saw your face it was as though I’d seen the Face of God and you were pleased with me.” Hallelujah!!
Dear Pilgrim, when Noah looked up that day into the eyes of the Lord. . .in a day when “every imagination of man’s heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). . .and he knew Judgment had to be just around the corner. . .he found something he’d always longed for, but never experienced firsthand: Grace (Gen. 6:8).
And, the same is true today.
Every time we’re overwhelmed by the fact that Jesus loved us enough to die for us on the Cross, we experience Grace. Every time someone reaches out to us in compassion in our hour of need, we experience Grace. Every time we experience forgiveness—from God or others—we seen Grace up-close-and-personal. May we allow the Holy Spirit to use us today to help others also see God’s Face in ours—and in so doing, may they be drawn closer to the One Who gives it.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated April 22, 2010
