Seek His Face Not His Hands

One book that has greatly affected my life positively is "God Chasers" by Tommy Tenney. My mind flashed back to the message from that book this morning. I read the book several years back but I can still remember the focus of the book. And that is to seek God relentlessly.

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him? (Psalm 42:1-2)

We should long for God like the Psalmist did. He looked forward to being in God's presence. Just like the deer looks anxiously for water to quench it's thirst, we, God's children should seek Him with eagerness. We all know how essential water is to life. No one can thrive for a long time without water. Every fibre of our being should crave Him. We must thirst for Him. Desire Him. He is the Bread and water of life. He alone satisfies.

A step further is the reason for seeking Him. This of course is the most important aspect of seeking God. Why do you worship God? Why are you doing the things you say you are doing for God? What's the motive? You know, many people actually 'serve' God because of what they want. They are into a 'trade by batter' relationship. They come to Him because they want miracles. They sleep in the temple only because they are in trouble. That's why many people only declare fasts when they see trouble looming. They declare several days of fasting with the motive of pleading with God to save them from their sorrows. They only seek Him when their boats are sinking.

Agitation and fear are the things that brings them. They are not driven by love for God but by the desire for solution to their problems. They act like they can just use God. They flood His house when exams are drawing near, when they are troubled by sickness, when their bank accounts are slipping into red, when their homes are at the verge of breaking, etc. Once all their issues are sorted, they simply slip into default mode. Whatever happened to fasting to just have a feel of God? What happened to just wanting to have a sweet fellowship with God and nothing else?

That was it for Moses. He sought God not because He wanted food on his table or because he had a business deal he wanted to seal.

He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel (Psalm 103:7).

The Message translation says, "He showed Moses how he went about his work". I love that. We must remember the sacrifices that Moses made to be in God's presence. He went several days without the comfort of a triangular meal plan or his bed, to receive from God what His mind for the people was. He was then handed the privilege of knowing the 'secrets' of God. He was not an acquaintance who came only when he ran short of salt while cooking, he was a friend of God. He spent time with God and He reaped what He sowed. He sowed quality time and reaped quality results.

Someone who seeks God's face and not His hands, is someone who says in his heart, "Even if I am not given what I am asking from God the way I desire it, I will not go back from following Him. His desire to be with the Lord is driven by love. Lack or a 'no' to my requests will not dwindle my love for Him". Just like the Hebrew boys who refused to bow to any graven image, we must decide too that no matter what happens, God will remain first in our lives. What can separate us from the love of God?

Seek God's face. Seek to know Him. Seek first His kingdom and righteousness. Set your priorities straight. Seek His face and see Him open up His hands to you in blessing!

May God increase our understanding in Jesus' name!

I pray for the burden to seek God relentlessly henceforth to come upon our hearts in Jesus' name.

~OMOSEBI, Mary Omolola
2015