Seeking the Face of God

I recall looking closely into a mirror a while back and as it reflected my image, I also noticed a disturbing blemish on my face. Though the blemish was not causing any physical pain, it still required immediate attention. Later, someone else also pointed this blemish to me. Without the mirror, or someone else looking intently at my face and pointing out this blemish, I was walking about under the impression that nothing was wrong with my face. Beloved in the Lord, let us recognize that the word of God is our mirror as we navigate our lives here on earth.

This week, as I reflected on the song - Give Us Clean Hands - (see lyrics below), I also pondered over how often, most people, including most of us Christians, become conceited in our minds, thinking highly of ourselves than we ought. No matter how we may perceive ourselves, and particularly for each of us believers in Christ, we need to get into the constant habit of sober reflections, with regards to our relationship with our Maker and to ascertain whether we are indeed living true to His call upon our lives.

In Psalm 24:3-6, we read:
"(3) Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?  (4) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. (5)  He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (6) This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O (God of) Jacob. Selah." (Psalm 24:3-6 KJV)
The above scripture, which is a Psalm by David, is considered by bible scholars as one of the deepest of all the Psalms, and it is also the basis of the song "Give Us Clean Hands" written by Charlie Hall. I believe, that this scripture requires deep reflections for every believer in Christ. As shown in Verse 6 of Psalm 24, constantly seeking God's face is the key we need to ascend into the hill of the Lord or be able to stand in His holy place. Notice that as you seek the face of God, it is only then that you can keep your hands clean and your heart pure. Also, it is only by seeking the face of God that we will be able to keep our souls from vanity and not be deceitful. Before we delve into the issue of seeking God, would you please join me as we read the following scriptures, to gain an understanding of our true nature and what the redemptive work of Christ truly means for us believers: 
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isa 53:6 KJV)
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Rom 3:10 KJV)
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Rom 3:24-25 KJV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph 2:8-9 KJV)
Beloved, let us not deceive ourselves by thinking so highly of ourselves than we ought. We are righteous only to the extent that Christ's blood has made us clean. Unfortunately, sometimes we tend to forget that we will be nothing in ourselves had it not been the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is so easy for us to live only in the moment and forget where we have come from. In Deuteronomy, we read of how God constantly kept reminding the Israelites not to forget how He delivered them. To avoid becoming oblivious to the redemptive work of Christ, we need to seek the face of God continually. In Isaiah 51:1, we read:
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. (Isa 51:1 KJV)
When you remember to constantly seek the face of God, by sitting at the feet of His son, Jesus Christ, to gaze into his eyes and understand his love, his pain and suffering, and his heart for us and most importantly his whole mission, not only do we avoid being forgetful of his redemptive work, but the whole process will reflect upon our very image and transform us into His likeness. Let us turn to a passage in scripture which clearly illustrates what it means to sit at Jesus' feet. We read from Luke 10:38-42:
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  (39)  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.  (40)  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  (41)  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  (42) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luk 10:38-42 KJV)  
Martha, Mary's sister, was disturbed by the fact that her sister had chosen to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen to the word of Jesus instead of helping her to serve. But Jesus was clear, "one thing is needful" and Mary had chosen that good part. We can be in the house of God and be busy about service and forget that we need to be at the feet of Jesus continually to be renewed. Like David, may our heart's cry be: 
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. (Psa 27:4 KJV)
It is through the word of God that we can come to an understanding of God's heart and become diligent about the things of God. And it is only when we begin to seek His face continually that our lives will begin to reflect the nature of God and and it is only then that we can also receive the rewards of righteousness. These are clearly illustrated from the scriptures below:
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you(Hos 10:12 KJV)
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1Ch 28:9 KJV)
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2Ch 7:14 KJV)
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. (Psa 119:2 KJV)
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Pro 8:17 KJV)
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger(Zep 2:3 KJV)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6 KJV) 
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jer 29:13 KJV)
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul(Deu 4:29 KJV) 
Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things. (Pro 28:5 KJV)
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. (Psa 105:3-4 KJV)
Beloved in Christ, if there is any time that we needed to seek God's face more, it is now. God's purpose for our lives is for us to seek His face always so that He can renew us into the likeness of His son, Jesus Christ. Please, do not let your encounter with Christ at your "Damascus road" be in vain. 
As we all reflect upon the words of the song below, let us do so with a heart that is fully committed to seeking the face of God continually, so that we can have clean hands and pure hearts and become the Church that truly reflects the beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a world that is in desperate need of salvation. 

Stay blest. 

Give Us Clean Hands - by Charlie Hall, sung by Chris Tomlin 
Verse
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols
Chorus
So give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Bridge
Oh God let this be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob

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