My labs have a 6th sense that something exciting or adventurous is about to happen. Without me saying a thing, Gracie and Bridget can seemingly feel the adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream. They become agitated, jumpy; they start moaning, and as soon as a door of the house opens they run for the tailgate of my truck. They think we’re going hunting and they can’t wait to hop into the kennel in the bed of my Tundra.
I believe God has given all of us, not a 6th sense as canine lovers might term it, but a “God sense.” Jack London in his classic tale spoke of the “Call of the Wild,” and I have often thought that this is not a bad term for this deep longing, a heart cry for creation and Creator. We feel something; we anticipate a new work within our heart. We can’t understand the object of our longing, we can’t lower the crosshairs because we’re not sure of our objective. But for the Jesus disciple we recognize that God is moving, God is calling. David must have felt this when he wrote,
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:7-8)
Often when we cry out to God in the thick of a problem, struggle, or battle, we are actually responding to God crying out for us. God puts this cry of the wild within us that anticipates and longs for an intimate encounter with the living God. It is His voice saying to us “Will you not seek My face?” Will you not seek Me in the midst of your despair and sorrow?
Today on my prayer walk God spoke to my heart to seek His face and not His hands. What a strange word. It was as if Jesus was saying, “Steve, I know that you are crying out for Me to do something, but I want you to love Me, not for what I can give you, but simply because you love Me. Will you just love Me?” The Westminster shorter catechism opens with the first question and answer,
Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever
To seek the face of Jesus in the surroundings of failure, defeat, and unanswered prayers, is to experience the abundance of the true you. You were created for Him. Our hearts were created by Jesus, for Jesus, to enjoy Jesus. Intimacy with Jesus is the best place to be while we wait. Wait, yes, but not passively. Waiting on the not yet is active, intentional, and focused. But not focused on the need, but rather focused on the face of Jesus. Love Jesus today; tell Jesus you love Him throughout your day. That my friend is the way of joy in the midst of the not yet.
On the road,
Steve
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