Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His presence continually!

Psalm 105:4

As a young child, I loved a piece of music that was composed as a piano solo by a man called Eddie Reece who, with his wife, Carole later became foundational members of our Jerusalem congregation.

The only actual lyric I remember in the song is "Oh, I love to seek His face, at the dawning of the day!" and later in the song, "Oh, just to be....with Him..." I learned this song, lick for lick, at the age of thirteen, and it became my own signature piano solo.

In this verse in Psalm 105, you see the same word twice. "Seek." But in Hebrew it is two different words. The first word is "dirshu", a command in plural, to seek out or delve deeply into [the LORD and his strength]. The second word is "bakshu", a plural command, which simply means, "request" or "ask for" - His face. The Hebrew word "panav" means "His face" or "His presence" - but not His presence with His back turned!

When someone is looking at us straight in the eye, how penetrating that is! Lovers gaze at length into each others eyes. Two seconds of a flirtatious glance leaves nothing unsaid. Two seconds of a kind or approving glance can give comfort or confidence. Once second of an angry glance can send someone reeling.

Do you even dare ask for His face? Are you willing to look into His eyes and see what is there?

I'm going to confess to you that I served God for a long time without being willing to look into His eyes. I avoided "His face", without even realizing it. The day that God practically held my face between His hands, and said, "Look at me!" was the most sweet and painful thing that ever happened to me. I knew in a moment that I was His and he loved me, and that He was not going to let me go. I also knew that he was not going to leave me the way I was. I was undone. At that moment, I wanted to be all He wanted me to be. What deep and full joy I felt!

You will never know joy until you are willing to "lock eyes" with our Savior, and come into an agreement with what you find there. When this becomes your continual habit, you will be walking in freedom and you'll know what is meant by the "abundant life".

READ: Psalm 27, highlighting verses 4, 8, 9, and 14.

Oh, Lord, this is what I want, and this is what I seek today - Your face! Then I will not be living for the opinions of others, or desires and goals of my own, but for yours alone. My problems and challenges will cease to loom high in the light of your face. I will be strengthened, and changed, and renewed when I am with You. I seek You, Lord, and Your strength, and especially Your face!