In listening to two different people speak in two days I heard a common phrase and thought by both... "seek the face of God, not just His hand".Now when I have things like this happen, I try my best to really pay attention. What are the similarities if any in the people? In the context or situations? Was there a common third party around both times? You know, any questions I can ask that will reveal the lesson, the message, or the heeding whether intended for me or for someone else. To see what exactly God might be saying.
Earlier tonight I looked up a couple of verses God seemed to be leading me to.
Psalm 105:4 says Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
'Paniym' is the Hebrew word in this verse for face. That word means "face, or faces", the "person", or "presence". (I love the plural use of faces here, as in the Holy Trinity, the three complete persons of the God Head!)
And 1 Chronicles 16:11 which is Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
This verse also uses, in the original Hebrew, the word 'Paniym'. Further research revealed this word also means "before and behind", and "from beforetime"
WOW! What a magnificent and humble reminder as I ran my finger along the lines on the page - His person, His presence, has been since before time.... always His presence has been. That's a lot of person, a lot of presence.
And as long as He has been and will be, ever before and for ever more, to seek THAT Holy presence and person of God... WOW!!!! That's huge. That's an ever evolving, never ending journey. Thats a story with unlimited chapters and words and phrases to drink in. It's to become more familiar with who God is. What His eyes are delighted by. What they see. To understand what makes the laugh lines appear at the corners. What His ears are tickled by. What they long to hear. What God's very lips delivers in so many ways. Where His kisses of blessings are. What His word says. How He speaks in ever thing that exists. The very features and facets of His face if you will :)
I am overwhelmed!!!
Two definitions for the Hebrew word 'Darash' (Seek) are "to frequent", and "look for with care"... there's an urgency in that to me!
This is what I feel Him whispering to my very soul to remind me tonight - to earnestly seek His very face and presence, to want and allow Him to be both truly before me and behind me - my provision and my Jehovah Jireh, to know Him even more intimately, to allow His very presence to be so deeply embedded in my every moment, to remember that when I allow the ultimate romance that is ours and ours alone blossom it's then that I will see His hand truly moving in my life the way He desires it to and wants to show me!
Oh Father, I do want more of you, to not be distracted by what are very good things so that I miss the very great things you have for me... there is so much to love about you - I want to know it all! Help me focus, and seek your face both in my waking moments, and even as I dream and am at rest in the night. Continually reveal more of your self to me - it can never be enough!
Marisa
Chick Chat with Marisa
