The Hand of God, the Face of God

As we begin this morning, I’d like to share a verse of scripture that we studied in some detail during our National Day of Prayer Bible Study. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, called by my name (that’s us as Christians) will humble themselves and pray, and will seek my face, and turn from their sin. . .” This morning, I spend some time looking at the face of God.

Ex. 33.7-11: What an awesome scripture. We begin with the image of the Tent of Meeting, which was a place consecrated for divine communication. Look with me again at verse 10. When God showed up, people worshipped. And get this -- Moses talked to God face to face. We often talk about the presence of God, but we can only experience the presence when we are seeking the face of God.

During the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Douglas accused Lincoln of being two-faced. When Douglas finished, Lincoln got up and began his rebuttal. “My opponent has accused me of being two-faced; but you’d think if I had another one, do you think I’d be wearing this one?”

We often say we see the hand of God at work around us, but how often do we see the FACE of God? This morning I’d like to share with you five principles about God’s face.

1. As Christians, we are called to seek the face of God, not just his hand (i.e., not just what he does for us or gives to us, but who he is.) It’s his face that truly matters! David wrote “you fill me with joy in your presence” (Ps. 16.11) and “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Think about our own language for a minute. Have you ever looked at something at face-value or put a good face on a situation? Faces reveal the nature of a person or a thing.

Without the face of God, we can not know his unique nature. In Deut. 4, Moses asks “Has there ever been a God like this?” I love the great cathedrals. When I was in Rome, I remember standing in the Sistine Chapel and looking up at that marvelous ceiling; it was so massive, so wonderful, and I was so small. That is how they were built -- to resize us and help us see how big and awesome our God is and how insignificant we are in relation. And that is precisely how we feel when we get into the presence of God -- when we seek his face, he has a way of overwhelming us. God shows us our worth and worthlessness, and yet it’s OK, because there is a peace and a rightness; despite who I am, God still loves me.

2. God’s face is beautiful. A few years ago, I spent a week in Atlanta with Pastor Williams. You know, nothing made me miss my wife more than waking up every morning to be greeted by his ugly mug. He cleans up nice, but he looks rough in the morning! How many of you remember when you first met you sweetheart. I remember our first date -- walking hand-in-hand down the midway at the county fair and being captivated by her. And I remember that hot June day when I was standing in the front of a church and watched the most beautiful woman in the world walk down that aisle with her grandfather, and I could not take my eyes off her. . .I was so captivated by her beauty. When we see the face of God, we’ll be captivated by his beauty. And his face will keep us from sin. The hand of God doesn’t keep us from sin, but his face does. You see, I don’t want to do anything that will bring pain to the face of God; I don’t want to do anything to put tears in his eyes or make him turn his face from me. I pray that God never has to turn his face from me!

3. Faces speak. Only when we begin to seek the face of God can he begin to speak to us. Hands don’t talk, they only do. The sign of ordination in the OT was that God spoke to that person. In the NT, we are all priests and ministers, and therefore, to be effective in the charge that Christ has given to us, we must hear the voice of God.

4. Faces smile, hands don’t smile. Only when we seek God’s face can we see how much pleasure God takes in us. And that smile is the favor of God. There was a story some time back about a man who was deep in debt, struggling to pay all the bills, and one night, while trying to do the figures, his son came up with his piggy bank in hand and said, “Dad will this help?” And the father, with tears in his eyes could only smile. We don’t do anything or have anything to offer for that favor; God just gives it to us.

5. Faces laugh, hands don’t laugh. We need to get rid of some of the rigidness and pomp in the church and realize that God has a sense of humor (he made us, didn’t he) and that God laughs. We tend to take ourselves so seriously. When was the last time you just loosened up and laughed? Laughter is contagious. And if we want to reach the lost, we need to show them the laughter of God, not just the judgment.

Look with me one more time at the passage in Exodus. When we find God’s face and meet with him in his presence -- the neighborhood will take notice. When we begin to love God, we’ll love people and they can meet God. How do we start? It’s really very simple. Get on you face before God and begin to pray. Prayer is the antidote for self-sufficiency, and when we realize our need for God and press in during our times of prayer, we will begin to experience God’s face.

I want to close where I began. If my people, called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and will seek my face, and turn from their sins, then I will hear in heaven, I will forgive their sins, and I will heal their land. America needs God’s forgiveness and God’s healing, but it will only happen when his people begin to turn from their own sins and seek the face of God. Can that move of God begin in you today?