Every day we encounter people. We see many faces and shake many hands. If you were to put several hands together, and that was all you could see of a person, it would probably be very difficult to distinguish one person from another. On the other hand, if you looked at people's faces you could tell the difference immediately. Our faces differentiate us from other people. There is a reason they take pictures of our faces on our driver licenses and passports instead of our hands.
When it comes to seeking God, most people are content to seek His hand. They just want what He can do for them. How can He help? What can He do for you? He delights to do those things, but wants so much more for us. He invites us to know Him. Knowing Him means seeking His face. That cannot mean in the most literal sense. The Bible tells us nobody can see God and live. What does seeking His face mean?
It means getting to know Him and not just about Him. Our churches are filled with people who spent decades learning about God. They listened to Bible stories and theological discourses about God. That does not mean they know God. They are not close to Him. They often do not recognize when He is speaking. Their private devotions are probably lackluster if they happen at all.
Seeking the face of God means longing for closer communion with Him. It means discovering His character and attributes and relating to Him accordingly. It means longing to be with Him instead of feeling you are forced to be with Him. It means listening to Him and following through on His commands.
I met Brenda on the campus of Howard Payne University nearly four decades ago. I saw her from a distance and noticed that brown haired and brown eyed beauty. I found her very attractive but did not know one thing about her. I assumed she was a party girl. I don't know why I assumed that. She seemed far too pretty to be a follower of Jesus. My roommate had a class with her. I got him to ask a few questions. I learned she was from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area. I also learned she was not dating anyone at the time. That did not mean I knew her. I was learning about her.
It took the two of us going to the park on a study date to get better acquainted. I've told this story many times and related how she brought books to study, but I only came to study her. Early in our conversation I asked if she had trusted Jesus as her Savior. Not only was she a Christian, she also was a serious follower of Jesus who had taught a Bible class and enjoyed what she called basking in the presence of God. I did not know what that meant at the time. It meant she spent quality time in the presence of God enjoying Him. I tell you the truth, I was hooked that day. I spent the next couple of years getting to know her. She did many wonderful things for me over that span. She often gave me gifts. She made me a photo album filled with photos of us together we still have. When we had to be a part for the summer, I did not stare at her hands in those photos when I was lonely. I stared at her face. Everyday and night I gazed at that gorgeous face captured in those photographs longing to be with her again.
When she said yes to marrying me, I only looked at her hand long enough to place the ring on it. It was her face that captivated me. 34 years later nothing has changed. I know her well because we have spent so much time with one another. I appreciate her cooking for me with her hands, or rubbing my back on nights when I have trouble sleeping, and holding my hand when we are driving some times. I get excited when I see her face after a ministry trip or a long day at work. She will be walking into my office door any moment now and it is her face that will light up my heart.
God wants to be known more than we want to know Him. He longs to be longed for by His people. We can get so preoccupied with lesser things that we settle for seeking His hand and what He can do for us rather than seeking His face. He is not a genie in a bottle or the jolly fat man dressed in a red suit who gets so much attention at Christmas. He knows everything about us good and bad. He loves us beyond our comprehension. He is greater than we can fathom. He wants us to seek His face and not settle for seeking His hand. II Chronicles 7:14
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