by Kathleen
The relationship between my Savior and I has grown amazingly over the years. I was reflecting on how remote, how far off the Lord seemed to me when I first came to know Christ. I was unsure, a little skeptical at times but wanting to know more. I was searching. I wasn’t radically saved as some people are. For me, it was more of a long walk with the Lord, a friendship. I spent time getting to know Him and I wanted Him to know all about me. I wanted a relationship although I don’t think I could have put my feelings into words.
I was comparing this to making new friends. I have been in the Black Hills now for four years and making new friends hasn’t been easy for me. I have a lot of friends, don’t get me wrong but not one really close friend, the kind you can call whenever you are blue, lonely, excited, happy, have great news to share, feeling lost or just need to chat about everyday things. I thought I had this at one point but I am not sure what happened. It seemed the only reason she called was because she wanted something. I have two special friends back in Nebraska where I moved from but even those friendships take a lot to maintain because I don’t see them very often. When I do we can sit and talk for hours. Face to face relationships are crucial in many ways.
As I ponder all this I can see how the Lord wants to see my face and how I want to be in His face, to see him in all his glory and for Him to see me, just as I am. I long for that special day when I do actually see Him, my Savior.
When I don’t see my husbands face or my children’s faces for a while I feel pangs of anguish and longing. I long to see them, I desire to see their precious faces, to look into their eyes and see their expressions. I have a daughter in San Francisco and a son in New York City and just hearing their voice is a comfort but I long to see them. I miss their face. I miss their smiles, their knowing looks.
How the Lord must miss us when we become negligent of Him, when we take Him for granted, when we call on him only because we want something from him. He created us with a body that can be touched and felt, hugged, kissed, loved on. The Holy Spirit surrounds us, dwells in us, and how He must long for our praise and worship, for our prayers and our daily chats with Him.
When Jacob and Esau saw each other after many years he exclaimed, “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably†Genesis 33:10. The joy Jacob and Esau must have felt in being restored to each other after all those years must have been amazing. The joy in seeing each other face to face after many years was a true gift from God.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14 the Lord tells us to seek his face, to humble and to pray. In order to have a relationship, a deep relationship that can grow and thrive we must seek God’s face. It is the same with relationships be it with a friend or family member.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
I wonder how many marriages end because the husband and wife rarely see each other? If both have jobs, are on this and that committee or belong to how many clubs I wonder just how much time a couple really spends together. I would bet the statistic is fairly high. I know when my husband and I are working and don’t see each other, don’t spend time together, I begin to miss him terribly and I don’t try and fill that void by doing other things. I seek his face. I tell him we need to spend time together and when I do he smiles and so we make a special date. Sometimes late at night after we have slept awhile we might wake and have a little chat about our day. I think the Lord gives us this special time together.
Often in the Psalms David mentions seeing or seeking God’s face or asking the Lord to shine upon His face or the face of the people.
Psalm 4:6 David states, “Many are asking, ‘Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.‘â€
In Psalm 27:8 again David states, “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ My heart said to You, ‘Your face, Lord, I will seek.’â€
I think seeing the face of Christ must have been the most glorious occurrence on earth. I cannot imagine the joy it must have given to those with him. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.†2 Corinthians 4:6.
2 John 1:12 I believe sums up my feelings in so many ways because until we see the Lord, until we actually see our loved ones, until we have that special friend whose face gives us unending joy and comfort our joy is not complete. “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.â€
There is something so joyous in seeing people face to face. What joy we will have when we see our precious Savior face to face. The Lord is the one who gave us eyes to see with. He is the one who knows the importance of love and friendship and of seeing each other one on one, face to face.
Until that time, “The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you†Numbers 6:24-26.
Kathleen–this is SUCH a great illustration. My walk with the Lord was more of a slow unveiling as well.