Go Beyond: Seeking God's Face & Not His Hand
I don't know about you but I want to go beyond this year. It has nothing to do with a new years resolution or all the cliché statements you hear people make at the end of every year and the beginning of the next. Deepening my walk with God has been a constant pursuit of mine for about 3 years now and I must say as I continue on this journey I learn more and more and its working!
Seeking God's face is a familiar statement to me, but I recently read a devotional about seeking God's face and not his hand ( shout out to Joyce Meyer) and it prompted me to do my own research. Seek God's face and not his hand? Hmm...tell me more.
First let me say that seeking God's face means seeking his presence. When we seek his presence we enter into praise, worship, and adoration for him. Going after God's presence is to know him through and through and experience all that he is in his being. When we seek his hand we tend to have more of a focus on needs, wants, requests, what he's doing, when he's doing it, how he's going to do it, and so on. I discovered that when we seek his hand we miss his face, but if we seek his face, his presence, his being, we get his hand. I don't know about you but the double from God in that aspect is alright with me. So what is required? How do we begin to go beyond?
We learn from the word that if we draw near to God he will draw near to us. In addition, James 4:8 NLT also adds "Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world". Get outside of self. Going beyond in God for me involves giving God my time in prayer, withholding nothing from him, obedience, and trusting him and not myself. You may ask what is required? This goal is obtained by purposeful pursuit. If you half go after something, you're going to half get it. Full intent of being in God's presence will require restructuring of your time, a change in heart and direction (repentance) in your life, consistency in prayer etc... So what does going beyond actually look like?
I've learned that this pursuit has brought on a great aspect of intimacy with God. If you are going to truly seek God with all your heart and you desire the presence of God it is going to require intimacy. What is the importance of earnestly seeking God's face? Lets examine the importance of our faces with a relatable example.
You can tell so much from a person's face and we can tell so much from someone else's. Just think when your children know they've made a mistake they are often nervous to face you, see your response, and they hid their face. Yet and still you want to see them because you want them to see your feelings, seriousness, and response. As a parent you're looking in their face to gain understanding and where their mind is. "Why did you not listen to your teacher?" "Why did you do what you did?"
From this dialogue you gain understanding from one another possibly learning of something more your child needs . Your child learns how you are feeling, how to handle his or her feelings, and things of life. This parallel example of child and adult couldn't be more fitting. God is our father and he wants us to seek his face; his presence. We know as parents we have our child's best interest at heart and we are trying to help them. Parents teach their children so they will have the knowledge, wont have to face life alone, and ultimately build a bond. Sound familiar?
God had the same in mind when he told us to continually seek his face. We don't have to live confused and tossed to and fro by everything. Getting in his face gives the holy spirit the room to be our counselor, give revelation, and we gain understanding.
Man! If that's not amazing I don't know what is. Hopefully from this not only will you look at communicating with your child in a new way, but also gain the importance and freedom that you desire in your walk with God.
Seeking God's face is a familiar statement to me, but I recently read a devotional about seeking God's face and not his hand ( shout out to Joyce Meyer) and it prompted me to do my own research. Seek God's face and not his hand? Hmm...tell me more.
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Psalms 105:4 ESV
First let me say that seeking God's face means seeking his presence. When we seek his presence we enter into praise, worship, and adoration for him. Going after God's presence is to know him through and through and experience all that he is in his being. When we seek his hand we tend to have more of a focus on needs, wants, requests, what he's doing, when he's doing it, how he's going to do it, and so on. I discovered that when we seek his hand we miss his face, but if we seek his face, his presence, his being, we get his hand. I don't know about you but the double from God in that aspect is alright with me. So what is required? How do we begin to go beyond?
We learn from the word that if we draw near to God he will draw near to us. In addition, James 4:8 NLT also adds "Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world". Get outside of self. Going beyond in God for me involves giving God my time in prayer, withholding nothing from him, obedience, and trusting him and not myself. You may ask what is required? This goal is obtained by purposeful pursuit. If you half go after something, you're going to half get it. Full intent of being in God's presence will require restructuring of your time, a change in heart and direction (repentance) in your life, consistency in prayer etc... So what does going beyond actually look like?
I've learned that this pursuit has brought on a great aspect of intimacy with God. If you are going to truly seek God with all your heart and you desire the presence of God it is going to require intimacy. What is the importance of earnestly seeking God's face? Lets examine the importance of our faces with a relatable example.
You can tell so much from a person's face and we can tell so much from someone else's. Just think when your children know they've made a mistake they are often nervous to face you, see your response, and they hid their face. Yet and still you want to see them because you want them to see your feelings, seriousness, and response. As a parent you're looking in their face to gain understanding and where their mind is. "Why did you not listen to your teacher?" "Why did you do what you did?"
From this dialogue you gain understanding from one another possibly learning of something more your child needs . Your child learns how you are feeling, how to handle his or her feelings, and things of life. This parallel example of child and adult couldn't be more fitting. God is our father and he wants us to seek his face; his presence. We know as parents we have our child's best interest at heart and we are trying to help them. Parents teach their children so they will have the knowledge, wont have to face life alone, and ultimately build a bond. Sound familiar?
God had the same in mind when he told us to continually seek his face. We don't have to live confused and tossed to and fro by everything. Getting in his face gives the holy spirit the room to be our counselor, give revelation, and we gain understanding.
Man! If that's not amazing I don't know what is. Hopefully from this not only will you look at communicating with your child in a new way, but also gain the importance and freedom that you desire in your walk with God.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; Numbers 6:25 ESV
Being in God's presence is so satisfying and the result is Him expressing his favor, love and blessings in our lives. No more will we just approach him weary, watered down, and asking for all we need and desire. Our relationship with God transforms, deepens, and grows when we realize and thirst after him knowing he already knows what we need and desire. There's nothing too hard for God. He can take care of us better than we can take care of ourselves. Go after his presence. Learn God, grow in him and his word. Pray, listen, and submit. That is what God desires. God bless you.
Be encouraged. I'd like to hear how seeking God's face has helped you go beyond. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wonderful. I will be rereading it again. Wonderful word and perspective.
ReplyDeleteHey J. Thank you so much. Means soooo much to me. Praise God for knowing you.
DeleteThe honor is mine. Keep striving for all He has for and in you
Delete