Have you heard the saying, “if you don’t feel close to God anymore, guess who moved?” It’s always us: never Him. In general, I believe that much of the Church in our times today has lost her passion for Jesus; her love has gotten tepid, lukewarm.
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Jesus charged the seven churches of that time, but also the symbolic churches of this present age. Jesus said, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm…I will spew thee out of My mouth, As many as I love, I rebuke, and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev.3:14-19). Jesus also said, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place” (Rev.2:4-5).
I point out, with three fingers and a thumb pointing back at me, that many Christians have at times gotten their eyes off our Lord, and are looking more at this world and its substance. We too often forget that our Savior has saved us from, and called us out and away from this world. It’s our old nature and carnal flesh that has an appetite for its pleasures. So I remind you, our redeemer has purchased us from this bondage, and unto Himself. Our Lord has called us to love Him; not love this world. (Mark 12:30, I John 2:15-17) Here then is a call to God’s church to fix our gaze back upon Him. Bride of Christ, keep your spiritual eyes of adoration upon the One Who is “altogether lovely” (Song of Solomon 5:16), Our “First love,” He who is worthy of our enthusiastic affection, and highest most loyal love.
II Chronicles 7:13-22, …”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.”
Today we will study the third requirement God gives to you and I, to “Seek ye My face.” Our answer should be like David’s reply in Psalm 27:8, “When Thou hast said, seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” Just how do we seek God’s face? Well, how would you seek anyone’s face you love? You would search for them; you’d try to get in close proximity to them; you would set your vision in their direction and lock your eyes on them. Yes, God is invisible to us, but spiritually speaking, we can meet face to face; we can see His beauty. What I’m talking about is love; desire for our Beloved.
Psalm 42:1-2, “As the hart (deer) pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 63:6-8, “…My soul follows hard after Thee.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us, He rewards them that diligently seek Him. Diligently means to work hard at, to apply effort, to give much attention to. The opposite of our seeking the things of this world is seeking Him. Rather than our divided heart trying to split our love between this world and the Lord, our Lord wants to be sought after as the love of our life. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart”. It will take our time and our attention, it will take our “whole heart” to have this closeness with God, but there is the greatest reward for it! So, we make a choice. Let us now, for always choose Jesus.
In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus teaches us, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” He tells us not to set our affections on the temporal things of this world, but on the everlasting better things of Heaven: our home. We must remember often that we are just passing through this world. We are foreigners. We are pilgrims. Our home and our treasure is Jesus Christ. As the psalmist declared in Psalm 90:1, “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations”. In 91:9 he also calls the Lord his habitation, meaning where he lives. Jesus invites us to enter into Him and stay. John 10:9, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” , and John 15:4 & 11, “Abide in Me, and I in you… These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” Only He can fulfill and complete us. The happiest ending our life story can have is intimate fellowship with Him, forever communing together as one.
Brothers and sisters, you who are in Christ; you who are called by His name, meditate long on this word of the Lord. Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and lofty place, with him (or her) also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Lord Jesus, we turn our full gaze upon You, to seek Your face alone. Revive us unto Yourself again. Amen.
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