God's face, and grace, shine like the sun

When I was in high school, I took the certification course to become a lifeguard.  I was working as a staffer at a summer camp, and had hopes of being assigned to pool duty.  I had seen others at the camp work very hard with camp activities, food service, and cabin clean-up, and I hoped to be one of the lucky ones that got to sit in the sun all day and watch the swimmers have fun.

However, when it came time to take the "final exam", all us candidates were told to swim 20 laps in the pool.  It was more than a mile, total.  I considered myself a strong swimmer, but about halfway through, I gulped for air and took in a lungful of chlorinated water.  I gagged and sputtered, trying to stay afloat.  I finally had to put my feet down and walk to the edge of the pool, where I promptly vomited on the sidewalk.  If I had been in deeper water, I would have needed someone to save me.

In the 80th Psalm, the prophet Asaph led the congregation in a prayer for salvation.  The whole northern kingdom of Israel was in over its head.  They were in need of a Savior.

Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.  Awaken your might; come and save us.  Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.  Psalm 80.1-3

The italicized verse (emphasis mine) is repeated three times in the prayer.  This refrain is a confession that the people had a need, a confirmation that only God could meet that need, and a contrite petition that God would restore them as His people.

Many years later, Jeremiah (known as "the Weeping Prophet"), mourns for the people because they did not follow the words of the Lord.  He writes these words to the people:

Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.  Give glory to the Lord your God before He brings the darkness, before your feet stumble on the darkening hills.  You hope for light, but He will turn it to thick darkness and change it to deep gloom.  But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord's flock will be taken captive. (Jeremiah 13. 15-17)

Most people who are drowning in a swimming pool know they need help; they know to cry out to be saved.  But most people's eyes are blind spiritually, and they don't know they are in over their heads until it is too late.  So when a missions minded person goes into the marketplace and preaches Jesus as the Savior of the world, people go on about their business, ignoring the message and ridiculing the messenger.  Savior? I don't need no stinkin' savior.  I'm doing all right by myself.  And if I get in trouble, my friends or my family or my government will bail me out.

Thank God there are always people who pray.  These prayer warriors constantly call to God for their country, for their families, for individuals just like you.  The Psalmist intercedes for the people in this way:

Let Your hand rest on the man at Your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.  Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your Name. Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80.17-19.

God is ready to place His mighty right hand on you.  And remember, Jesus called Himself "the Son of Man".  He is ready to resuscitate you, to breath into you the breath of Life everlasting, if you will simply call on His Name.

If you feel like you are drowning, like you are circling the drain of Life; if you feel you are going down for the third time, rest assured that someone is praying for you.  Like a mother on the edge of the pool, waving and shouting to get the attention of the lifeguard to save her child, there is someone who is interceding for you right now.  You may not know it.  You may not even realize you need it.  But it is happening behind the scenes.  What you do when the Savior touches you will make all the difference.  Will you let Him pull you to safety? Or will you send Him away, confident that you can get yourself out of this mess you are in.  Arrogance like that can lead to Hell.

John Wesley said that God offers us three types of grace: preparing grace, accepting grace, and sustaining grace.  Preparing grace (or "prevenient grace" as Wesley called it) is offered to us before we know we need it.  Ephesians 2.8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, let any man should boast."  This grace is prepared for you before you even realize that you need it.  And when you do realize that you need God's forgiveness, His salvation, He accepts you just as you are.  This is the accepting grace.  And after He has saved you, He goes about sustaining you, by His grace, and preparing you for His kingdom.  This is sometimes called "sanctifying grace", or the grace that makes you set apart.

I did finally get to finish my certification as a lifeguard, but I was assigned other duties in the camp.  I was told that I could be a "reserve" lifeguard, in case one of the kids assigned to that task became ill or quit in the middle of the summer.  Perhaps God knew that I would spend more time and effort looking at the pretty young girls in their swimming suits, and that I would not be very attentive to those who might need help in the water.  Thank God for His attentiveness to our needs, for His grace to meet our needs, even before we knew we had a need!