“Now therefore, if I have found favour in your sight, please show me your ways that I may know you in order to find favour in your sight” (Exodus 33:13 ESV)

 Is the constant desire and journey of our heart to know the Lord better and thus to enjoy his favour?

Moses’ prayer is that, each increase in his faith and trust in the Lord (finding favour) will lead to a greater knowledge of God in order to develop further faith and trust which brings greater favour from the Lord, and the cycle, or adventure, continues.

Someone said that faith is like riding a bicycle – you either move forward or fall off!

Paul was of the same sentiment when he wrote of running the race and personal discipling in order to follow God’s ways better – and thus “find favour” with God.

Yet it is not by our labour alone, Moses’ prayer was for God’s enlightenment so that he might follow the right way.

Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit to teach and lead believers in the ways of God and enable them to grow in love and holiness. Jesus also taught that there is no other way to the Father except through faith in him – “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. (Jn. 14:6)

Let us not neglect our prayers, scripture reading and meeting together – they are the means of our spiritual growth and favour with the Lord.

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. ¹⁶ I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. ¹⁷ He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you. (John14:15-17 GNT)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.(Hebrews 12:1 NIV)

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV)

 ⁹ Anyone who does not stay with the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God. Whoever does stay with the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  (2 John 9 GNT)

 ¹¹ But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. ¹² Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses.   (1 Timothy 6:11 GNT)