Seeking

I know I'm in a series of posts that revolve around the idea of suffering... and I know how crazy chaotic some of these posts are. Organized Chaos.
I love it.
Because that's what life is isn't it?
Even when we have everything ordered... it's chaotic.
This blog is just my ideas and ideas of other people a million times smarter than me mixed and mashed together to create something new... new perspectives, new musings on God's nature, character, and love.
And who doesn't love to discuss some theology?

So I'm going to start another 'series' here... about Seeking God.
What does it mean?
What does it look like?
Are we really seeking what we should be?
I'm going to start off with that last question.
Are we really seeking what we should be?
Sit and ponder these scriptures with me...


1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

2 Chronicles 7:14
...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

Psalm 24:5-6
They will receive blessing from the LORD
   and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
   who seek your face, God of Jacob.

Psalm 27:7-9
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
   Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
   do not turn your servant away in anger;
   you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
   God my Savior.

Psalm 105:4
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.


Now we aren't literally supposed to seek God's face... no matter how hard you try, a face is not going to magically appear some day with clouds surrounding and lightning shooting out of it's mouth. And speak to just you.
How do I know?
Because the day that happens... is the day we will all see God face to face. When Christ returns. And boy will that be a day.
Personally I can't wait.
But in the meantime, how do we grasp this concept... seeking God's face?

I want to bring close attention to a specific group of verses that were listed above.
Psalm 27:7-10

Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
   be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
   Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
   do not turn your servant away in anger;
   you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
   God my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
   the LORD will receive me.

The Psalmist says 'Hear my voice'
and then doesn't mention speaking again.
Instead the text states 'My heart says of you, 'Seek His face!" '
The heart is doing the speaking.
Because God has given all who called upon Him new hearts.
If you are a Christian, you are a new creation... Do not forget that.
And you have a new heart... a heart that speaks to us and tells us to, "Seek his face!"
Hearts that have His law engraved on them.
Hearts that KNOW the LORD.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
   after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
   and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
   and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
   or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
   from the least of them to the greatest,”
            declares the LORD.

And from this heart God seeks us:
“I the LORD search the heart
   and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
   according to what their deeds deserve.”-Jeremiah 17:10

Christianity ceases to be a religion at this point.
Christianity ceases to be rules and regulations.
Christianity ceases to be about morals.
Christianity ceases to be like the world.
Our hearts cry out to us to "Seek his face!"
And God is seeking our hearts.
Like a Groom who seeks after his bride who has cold feet.
Like a Husband who seeks after his wayward wife.
Like a Father who seeks after prodigal children.
Like a Shepherd who seeks after the runaway lamb.
Like a God who seeks after His creation.
A relationship.
Seeking.
Searching.
Wondering.
Feeling.
Desiring.
There are a few other somethings I would like to note about the Psalm 27 passage...
We see a piece of a key doctrine of the New Testament... Adoption.
"Though my father and mother forsake me,
   the LORD will receive me."
Jesus Christ has made us a way to get back to a Father who will NEVER forsake us, will always receive us.
And Jesus will never forsake us either. That connection will always be there. We are His children. Adopted back from sin by the blood of Christ.

But you know... That passage isn't done speaking to us.
And this last statement I'm going to end with... only to pick back up in a later post.
We notice the Psalmist, who in this case is King David, praying in verse 9:

"Do not hide your face from me,
   do not turn your servant away in anger;
   you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
   God my Savior. "


My translation:
'God please don't hide yourself from me, I'm seeking you as you seek my heart, which is telling me to seek you. You have helped me before as I strive to keep my focus on seeking your face, don't turn away from me now, I need you more now than before. You are my Savior, you alone can forgive, please Father forgive me, and do not be angry."


God's hands of providence, God's helping hands, God's protective hands, God's giving hands, God's providing hands, God's allowing hands, God's mighty hands, God's loving hands were with David.
Because David was seeking God's face.
To answer the question we started this with:
Are we really seeking what we should be?
God's got your back.
You are SO important to Him, no matter what stage of life you are in. He is always with you, always loving you.
You matter.
But if you are looking for God's handiwork to start helping, providing, saving, etc. to do something big in your life... I want to highlight something for you.
The passage shows David seeking God's face... and getting God's hands.

Are we really seeking what we should be?

Stop seeking God's hands, start seeking His face.


*More to come* :)