Seek My Face!

As I woke up this morning, this scripture was on my mind. I felt it important to step outside of my usual style and spend some time discussing this passage and its application to our lives as a whole and to our recovery.

12Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:12-14

First of all I am taking some liberty in my interpretation, as I know that this original passage was written to the Hebrew people during the time of the dedication of the first Temple in Jerusalem. However, as 1 Corinthians 3:16 states, “…you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you”.

The passage begins with the Lord saying to Solomon that He has heard the prayers and worship of Solomon and his people and He has chosen the Temple of Solomon as place to call His home, and a place of sacrifice.

We are drawn to Him; He has called to each of us seeking that we would hear and answer allowing Him to be a part of out lives.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelations 3:20

The instant that we hear His call and open the door of our heart and not only accept as Savior but as Lord, then we dedicate our Temple to Him and to his service. Most of us who are on this journey have spent our entire life serving one lord or another, cocaine, alcohol, dysfunctional relationships, etc., But when we accept Him into our life those things are sacrificed unto him and He gives us all that we need to serve Him and Him alone. He has head our prayers of dedication and He has CHOSEN you and I to be His home and a place of sacrifice.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.  Romans 12:1

It does not matter what I have done or who I have been in my past, he cleanses and forgives me from my past, setting me free to serve Him. This thought just came to me and is quite exciting…

Every day, every hour, every minute, every breath that I live clean and sober, my simple act of sacrificing myself and separating myself from those things is an act of worship unto Him.

My friends lift up your hearts and your hands for even as you read these humble words you honor and worship the on who has saved and rescued you from your past.

So does that mean that now I am “Saved” and actively seeking to serve the Lord my life will be easier? The short answer is “NO”. However, for many of you it will be somewhat easier than your past has been. I know that many of you have had it VERY rough due to your past circumstances and often those circumstances were the result of our own choices and behaviors.

We will still have trials and temptations; similarly, some will be out of our control, however, most will be the result of our own behavior and choices.

We WILL be faced with difficulties, but the good news comes as we continue with the passage.

What do you think the reason for our trials and struggles is? I would have to admit that at times it is to remind us of our own weakness, to humble us. We start working our program, living our life and get comfortable, “going through the motions” of life, and loose focus on our spiritual journey, our dependence on Him. Therefore, He provides a reminder of that very weakness that is within. Does that mean I am going to have  a relapse? No not at all, it is just something that happens to draw my attention and focus off of myself and my own efforts and humbles me so that I cry out and seek His face.

“…humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways…”

Did you notice He says “seek My face”? It does not say “seek  My hand”. I am as guilty as anyone; when things get hard and I am at the end of my rope, having done all that I can do in my own strength, THEN I call out to God. But what is my cry? “God HELP, get me out of this mess!” I seek his Hand.  When we are down and out, we need to turn and seek His face. We worship Him, remembering Who He is and thanking Him for the Love with which He has so richly blessed us.  Then we repent and confess our own pride and sin, once again dedicating our hearts and lives TOTALLY to Him, THEN,I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Then He will hear, forgive us and cleanse our sins and begin the work of healing. Sometimes, he chooses to do this miraculously, in an instant, but often it is a process and journey and that is exactly why we are here. We are all on this journey and we do all that we can to encourage one another as we continue our healing and drawing closer to Him.

So my friends, where ever you are, I urge you examine your heart and life and as we enter into this new year let us…

“Humble ourselves and pray and seek His face.”