October 30 I Sunday

Jeremiah 20-21

2 Timothy 4

“…And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah...”     

—Psalm 67:1, NKJV

When was the last time we were shamelessly and embarrassingly adored? Do we remember when someone looked at us with absolute adoration? We are all shamelessly and embarrassingly adored by the Father with a love that is unswerving. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 67:1, “And cause His face to shine upon us” (NKJV) or “Make His face shine upon us” (NIV), it is a beautiful image of the deep love, grace and blessing of God being poured out in a beautiful image of adoration. If we have trouble knowing that we are completely adored by God, we find this truth in Scripture.

       In one episode of the drama series, The Chosen, it tells a story of Mary Magdalene, the woman who was possessed by seven demons that were destroying her life. Everyone tried to help Mary. Some treated her kindly. Others, like the Roman guards, tried by force to tell her to behave herself. Even the priests came and said empty prayers over her. Yet, none of these things gave Mary freedom until—spoiler alert—Jesus showed up. What did Jesus do? He called her by name, “Mary.” Then, He spoke the words of the Father from Isaiah 43:1: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.” Afterwards, Mary became free. His deep grace, His adoration and His face turned towards her in love changed her life. When people experience the adoration of God, the deep love He has for us as His child, it is life-transforming. When people know that they are truly loved, they live differently.

       We will find people in this world who long to experience this kind of love that God has for us by doing crazy things. They may fill their schedules up or develop habits that are harmful. Yet, may we take a moment and pause, just as the psalmist did after writing the first verse of Psalm 67: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine on us, Selah.” The Hebrew word “Selah” means “pause.” Many of us do not pause enough, we are constantly rushing and careening into every new situation. As we take a moment to take in the fact that we are adored by the God of the universe, we do not need to be chasing after a love that we already possess. May we take the love that God has for us and share it with a world that is so broken and in need of knowing that they, like Mary Magdalene, are shamelessly and embarrassingly adored by the Father with a love that is unswerving.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for shamelessly and embarrassingly adoring me with a love that is unswerving. Remind me to pause for a moment each day and to take in the fact that I am loved by the God of the universe.