Lord, I Find You In The Seeking...

Funny how after I submitted that last post about doubt I was finding myself bored. The mild pain still lingering  from a seven mile run two days ago left  my curiosity hungry to learn more  about hip anatomy. It's been a while since I had anatomy, so I'm beyond rusty. Anyways, Youtube remembers the videos that users watch and it often makes suggestions based upon previous views. As the page loaded, I scrolled down to see what youtube was recommending to me today. The first video was All Son's and Daughters - Oh How I Need You. It is a beautiful song both musically and lyrically. I'm a sucker for anything with a banjo or fiddle. I guess that affinity should come as no surprise, since both sides of my family thoroughly enjoy bluegrass and gospel music.

Anyways, the honest and heartfelt lyrics to the song go:

Lord, I Find You In The Seeking

Lord I Find You In The Doubt

Oh How I Need You

 

Lord I find You in the morning
Lord I seek You everyday
Let my life be for Your glory
Woven in Your threads of grace
I need You
Oh how I need You

I feel the words to this song mirror David's thoughts in Psalm 63:1

"Oh God, You are my God. Earnestly I will seek you. My soul thirsts for you, my  flesh longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

 

The Hebrew word used to describe seeking God actually translates to face. Well, if I understand correctly, the Hebrew word we use for "seek" literally means "presence". I'm no scholar, and I am certainly not a linguist, but the root of that word is pretty neat and adds a whole new understanding to the Old Testament scriptures talking about seeking God.  Have you ever been in a really large crowd and lost track of somebody you were with? I guess I imagine it this way- it's like leaving a sports arena. There's a sea of people flooding towards the exit. Ten of thousands of people all frantically rushing to get to their cars to beat traffic (which we know is impossible, especially in Pittsburgh. Traffic is unavoidable on game nights). The momentum is maddening and it seems like you're stuck in the middle of a stampede when suddenly you realize you've lost track of a loved one. All at once you don't care about getting back to your car, or landing a coveted seat at Primanti's to celebrate victory or not getting stuck in a stand still at the Tunnels for 45 minutes. Instantly all of those thoughts vanish from your mind. Without a moments hesitation, what were priorities just seconds earlier seem petty and insignificant.  Everything pales in comparison to finding your loved one. You scan the perimeter over and over and over, and all you are looking for is that one face.  That one face, that in that moment, feels hopelessly lost to you. Now imagine that surge of relief once you find them. Amazing, isn't it? Almost indescribable.

 

Have we ever longed after God like that? David definitely did. He was literally seeking God's face and wanted it more than anything else. Regardless of how we feel, God is there to be seen and felt. He is actively moving in our lives, and His Holy Spirit is readily speaking to us and guiding us. Regardless of whether we feel like we're stuck in a desert like David felt, or whether we feel we're living in the Promised Land, God is with us and He desires us to have a heart that seeks His face and thirsts after His presence.  Life is full of distractions. It moves pretty fast and it is easy to lose track of what counts. God doesn't want us to be content without Him. We're not designed that way. When we feel that sickening pit of absence deep within our souls, God wants us to cry out to Him, and when we do, He will not hide himself.  And when we experience Him, it is like nothing else in this world we can ever experience. When we find His face, nothing compares, not in that moment, and not ever again.