The Presence – Part 3

Seeking The Face

The word God used for “face” in the Hebrew, is the word He also used for “presence”. It is the Hebrew word: Paniym (Paw-neem). It means: the face, faces, presence, or person. It is translated both ways. To seek His face is the equivalent to seeking His Presence. Ever get right into someone’s face? You are most definitely within the realm of their presence. You are in that person’s space. Can we get face to face with God? Apparently so, since He tells us over and over to seek His Face / Presence.

God will let you do that. He wants you to do that. He would not ask us to seek, what He had no intention of us finding. God is not a liar, and He said that nearness depends upon us…not on Him. The ball is in our court. If we answer the call to come, He will respond to every small move we make. No one will ever stand before God and accuse Him of not responding to the one who draws near to Him:

“…draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…” James 4:8

That’s the promise. So then, if He will draw near, there is a need for patience in seeking Him. His nearness may not come easy…but it will come. You are as near to God as you want to be. Think of this next scripture in the light of being patient while waiting for the coming of the Presence of the Lord, while in prayer:

“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:8

Don’t let your heart be moved while waiting for His Presence to come. He will come. He will honor your efforts in coming to Him. He will draw near. He will do His part. Don’t give up to soon. Keep pressing on. Some things are worth spending your whole life in pursuit of. He is at the top of that short list. Sometimes the only difference between the ones who gained nearness, and those who have not, is an obstinate refusal to quit. If you have to harden your heart, harden it against giving up. After all, at the end of the search…you get to come face to face with the King of Glory.

Looking for a Man

At last, we should remember, the subtle distinction, that in the truest sense we are not looking for a thing, but we are looking for a person. The Person. We used to say that: “we seek Your face and not Your hand”. The truth is that we are to seek for both, not either or. We are to seek His gifts and provision, and all that comes from His hand. We are gently rebuked when hearing “…you have not because you ask not…” (James 4:2). It is however, certainly easier to become occupied with seeking things, rather than the God who gives those good things. It seems more within the nature of man, to first seek His hand, and then after we have received the gift, to forget about seeking His face.

We are looking for Him. We are speaking to a Person. We are seeking to be in the Presence of God. We are not seeking for just an experience…even a good experience like feeling Him when He is near. We look for Him. He is a Person and He has invited us to seek Him. To look for Him until we find Him. Even the Presence of the Lord can become a “thing” that we are seeking for, rather than looking for the Lord who brings that Presence with Him. It is from this place that the desire is birthed that; “I just want to be with Him”.

“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

He is a Person…not a phantom. He is not somewhere in heaven unavailable to us. He has granted us access to Himself. He is available! He is willing to come even if two or three gather together in His name. It is no mere idea of His Presence, that we are invited to pursue, it is He Himself. Jesus said: “I will be in the midst of them ” (Matthew 18:20). He does not apologize for that and say: “Well…I really didn’t mean that I would actually be there…it was just a metaphor”.

If you seek Him He will come. If you want Him He will make Himself known. Let us be among those who have discovered the joy of knowing His Presence. Let us believe for more and more encounters. Until we have finally gained, one long unbroken awareness of the Presence of the Lord.

by Jim Moore