In a ladies Bible study I attend, we discussed seeking God's face and what it really means. The "face of God" denotes His manifest presence in our lives. It is a sign of His favor and acceptance. God's face toward His children is always to give them His undivided attention like no person on this earth could do for another. And yet, He is always waiting for us to seek His face, for when we do, that is when He can really bless us like no other material gift or relationship could on this earth.
In seeking His face, we find all our souls are really longing for, something no person on earth can fill. God showed me anytime I expect any human being, (whether husband, child, sibling, parent or friend) to fill the void that only He can fill I am actually living in idolatry. Oh, I may not have a little Buddha on my mantle that I bow down to but if I put anything or any person ahead of the Lord's rightful place in my life, I may as well have a statue to worship. He wants me to run to Him instead!
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 42:11
All God wanted to say to us, He really did say through the Person of His Son Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 1:1-4, it tells us:
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
He also says in Colossians 1: 15-18:
"15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."
When He has preeminence in my life, my soul is finally at peace. And as I seek His face, He promises to take care of all the little details of my life, the things that occupy so much of my everyday worries, like how I will continue to survive in a world that grows darker by the day. Jesus offers me a different way to think in Matthew 7:31-34:
“31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6: 31-34
The most incredible thing about seeking God's face, to me, is that we are limited only by our own choices in this life as to how much we will seek Him. There is no point at which He would ever say to us, "That is enough seeking for you!!" No, we choose how much we want to know this wonderful, giving God who is the focal point of all human history. This is something we discussed at our study. All believers will appear before His Bema evaluation seat one day. He has given us His Word in its entirety, the Holy Spirit within, pastors and teachers plus the witness of creation all around us and the testimonies of those who have gone before. We have no excuse not to seek Him. And when we do, we find out who we really are, a brand new person who is given a fresh clean slate every day.
Galatians 6: 14-15: 14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Now is the day of salvation, now is the time to seek Him, for He is patiently waiting for us. Let us somberly consider God's warning to Solomon, who, though he received more wisdom than anyone on earth, somehow forgot how important it was to seek God's face. I Chronicles 28:9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever."
Let us humble ourselves and say to God, along with David: "When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8
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