God created you for Himself. He is in love with you. However, intimacy with God and true repentance go hand in hand. Without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)
Hebrews 12 (NKJV)
Renew Your Spiritual Vitality
12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
In Matthew 16:24-27, Jesus taught the disciples what it means to follow him.
Matthew 16 (NKJV)
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Do you value your own soul as much as God does?
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We need to put on the whole armor of God to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Hebrews 12 describes discipleship as a race of faith requiring endurance that we can only win by “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”.
Hebrews 12 (NKJV)
The Race of Faith
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What was the joy that was set before Jesus for which he endured the cross?
It was to bring many brethren, sons and daughters, to glory.
Hebrews 2 (NKJV)
Bringing Many Sons to Glory
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:
“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
Hebrews 12:1 above says we are “surrounded by so great a great cloud of witnesses”, people who have run the race before us, described in Hebrews 11.They are rooting for us, and not only they but Christ himself never takes his eyes of each of his beloved sons and daughters. He wants us to be turned toward Him always, seeking His face, because He loves each one of us personally. His face is turned toward each of us and He wants to be with us always, face to face. He’ll be at the finish line anticipating our victory, eager to say to each of us, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”
God’s face is shining upon every believer, as described in the priestly blessing He gave to Moses for the people of Israel. Are you consistently returning His loving gaze?
Numbers 6 (NKJV)
The Priestly Blessing
22 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
How does it make God feel when we refuse to meet His loving gaze, ignoring the reach of His love, and deliberately sin, disobeying His Word?
He wants to guide us with His eye just as He did with David:
Psalm 32
A Psalm of David.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
This means obeying His Word, keeping our eyes on Jesus and never turning our face from our Savior who died for us, and ever lives, making intercession for each of us.
Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV)
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
In Luke 22, after Peter had denied knowing Jesus for the third time, he met the Lord’s glance from across the courtyard, saw His look of love and forgiveness, and ran out weeping. He had true repentance afterwards, and in John 21 the risen Lord encounters and recommissions him. This is a testimony of God’s redeeming grace available to all. Like Peter, and like Paul in Philippians 3:14, may we “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Jesus is watching, waiting and praying for us. Let’s not let Him down.
David Krause, dhkrause2@gmail.com, https://compellinglove.net/
Compelling Love 
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