Desperate for the Face of God

Passage: Psalm 143:1-12

Focus: “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all You have done; I reflect on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; I am like a parched land before You.”—Psalm 143:5-6

Have you ever sought God, but it seemed as if He was nowhere to be found? Don’t feel alone. In Psalm 143 David cried out to God in desperate loneliness. “I spread out my hands to Thee; my soul longs for Thee, as a parched land before You” (v. 6). The shepherd king longed to see God’s face. His soul was parched like the throat of a man who cannot find his way out of the desert. Israel’s king begged for the presence of the King of kings . . . still he felt alone.

The difference between David and many 21st century believers, though, was that he refused to give up. He doggedly persisted until he saw God. He was so certain God would not abandon him that he boldly made the desires of his heart known. “Teach me to do Your will” (v. 10) and, “for Your name’s sake, LORD, let Me live; in Your righteousness deliver me from trouble” (v. 11), came from the depths of a soul that was desperately seeking God’s face.

Jacob was running for his life when he encountered God. His brother Esau had vowed to kill him; Jacob vowed to stay one step ahead. That night God appeared to him and the two engaged in a holy wrestling match. As morning rose, Jacob seemed to have the upper hand, and God blessed him. He named the place, “Peniel,” which means, “the face of God.”

When Solomon succeeded his father David as Israel’s king, God gave a promise: “If My people who are called by name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14). The presence of God comes to those who want it desperately enough to seek His face and doggedly persist in seeking until they see that sweet countenance.

Centuries later Paul would share with his friends at Galatia that the God who promised His presence in the days of Jacob, David, and Solomon had not changed. “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:9). Guess what . . . it is nearly two millennia later and He still has not changed!

   How badly do you desire to see God at work in your life and in the lives of those around you? Are you thirsty enough for His presence to seek His face? Are you desperate enough to wrestle with God in prayer?

Josh Brown, our DBC president, has established a theme of “We Always Pray” for 2024. It is based on 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12. You will see his heart on this theme in his article below.

Together, Josh and I would like to invite each of you to join us in a year of persistent prayer for each other, for the lost, and for the fulfillment of our mission to strengthen established churches and start new churches. We are calling this prayer initiative, “PrayDakotas 2024.” There is a separate article below that begins to describe some of the ways we would like to challenge Dakota Baptists to partner together to seek God’s face throughout the coming year.

Will you join us? Will you commit to desperately seek God’s face and keep going before Him throughout the coming year?

“How badly do you desire to see God at work in your life and in the lives of those around you? Are you thirsty enough for His presence to seek His face? Are you desperate enough to wrestle with God in prayer?”