Seeking Him

It was a great question. A good friend and I were having breakfast when he popped it. "What does it really mean to seek His face?" My friend is no spiritual slouch. He's a church leader and by most accounts would be considered spiritually mature.

But he found himself questioning his own spiritual walk with God. And he wanted to test those questions to see if they were valid. I felt honored that he'd include me in that journey!

So what does it mean to seek His face? What does it look like when God's people seek God's face? Is it an event ... or a process? And what exactly are they looking for? Aren't we told that God's face is too bright for us to be able to bear to look at it? How then could we seek it? What exactly does God expect of us? I think there are two important clues to this in the Bible.

First, Genesis 1:27 tells us that "God created man(kind) in His own image." At the time, Jesus had not been born yet. So God's only image that we know of then was as a spiritual being. He created us as spiritual beings. We aren't told when, but it appears that at some point after that, God gave mankind a human experience. So we are first spiritual creatures ... having a human experience.

Second, Matthew 6:33 tells, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." All what things? What's being promised here? Basically everything we need. So if we put God - and His ways - first, then all of our needs will be taken care of. That's the promise.
Maybe you aren't so sure about either of these clues. They don't look too obvious. But knowing that I am a spiritual being, and seeking God's ways are what this is all about. What I'm actually doing is trying to look for the spiritual perspective - God's perspective - on everything. And when I do that, I'm seeking Him first and will find that my needs are met.

Too often we tend to operate in the human realm. It's the one where we have free choice and rely on our own understanding for much. It's true that God gave us free choice. But Jesus asks for that back. He wants the free choice we have to be voluntarily surrendered to Him. If I'm looking for God's ways, then I'm setting aside my own (free choice). Things get done by His choice instead.

Even the most mature Christians can find themselves feeling a bit disconnected at times. Perhaps we don't feel so close to God. Perhaps we don't feel His presence the way we'd like to. It doesn't necessarily mean we've done anything wrong. In fact, when we seek God first, He may not change our course at all. He may be quite pleased with the direction we're going. But He wants to be asked.

Lord, today help me honor you with my words, thoughts and deeds. Let me see things with your eyes and hear things with your ears - instead of with my own. Let me think about things with your mind. May your will be done in my life today. Lead me, teach me, guide me. And let me be yours all day long. Here I am, Lord, seeking you first ... and all your righteousness.