In Psalm 27:8, God commands David: “Seek My face.” What does it mean to seek God’s face? We get a hint earlier in the Psalm, where in verse 4 David says that the one thing he desires more than anything else is to “behold the beauty of the Lord” — literally “the delightfulness of YHWH” – His very face.
You are I are to seek His face as well, but we need to beware of many unsatisfactory substitutes for it:
— You can seek intellectual knowledge from His word instead of seeking His face. I know that too often I settle for learning a new “fact” in my daily Bible reading, instead of really seeking God Himself. This is not seeking His face! The substitution of intellectual knowledge for God’s face is the tragic mistake of the lost academicians who populate liberal seminaries! Knowing facts about God is not knowing God; it is not seeking His face.
— Somewhat related to that is seeking a message from God’s word, but not really seeking His face. It is NOT the same thing! Too many people — especially those who preach or teach classes — seek messages from God to share with others, instead of seeking God Himself. Forget about a “message” for others; seek fellowship with God Himself in His word.
— Others may fall into the trap of seeking a “feeling” from their devotional time. They may make it their goal to sing until they “feel good”, or feel a certain way. But working one’s self into a certain emotional state is actually very self-serving, and is not the same as seeking His face!
— And of course, as has been said famously, one can seek God’s HAND instead of seeking His FACE. This means seeking what you can GET from God, instead of really seeking God Himself. Most of us have descended to this; we pray or seek until a particular need we have is met. We want the “thing” — but not actually God.
What does it mean to genuinely seek God’s face? To really seek His face instead of His hand means that the most important thing to me is not being delivered OUT of my dark trial, it is that I might see HIM in the midst of my darkness. It means that the vital thing to me is not to get out of my poverty; it is that I can endure my poverty if I can just see His face. It is not that I just want Him to defeat my enemies; it means that I can have “a table before me in the presence of my enemies” as long as He is with me and I can see His face!
Most of us would say we fall well short of that ideal. May God give us grace today to respond to Him as David did in Psalm 27:8, “When You said, ‘Seek My face’, my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.'”
shawnethomas 
I had often been puzzled about how we could “seek His face”. It sounds very poetic and spiritual, but do I really understand what it meant and how to really seek His face. Thank you for helping me to understand. God bless you! So glad you are feeling better and praying for complete healing!
Mrs. Annette, I think this is one of our biggest challenges as Christians, to be more than just “religious”, but to seek God Himself. It’s so easy to be sidetracked by lesser “good” things.
Thank you so much for your blessing and prayers! God is answering!
As a pastor of 43 years I was refreshed by your message. It took me back To the day when I fell in love with my wife. I would sing that old song ” I saw your face in the moon” I can see the face of my Lord in every situation when I am truly in love with Him. Solomon said “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth” Its no wonder David said I will run after Him. Thank you again and keep holding the banner high. Pastor Irvin McCorkle Emeritus
What a sweet testimony; thank you so much for sharing it. And I appreciate your encouraging words very much — especially coming from such a veteran pastor.
My Lord what a wonderful article. I agree with all the different experiences we feel an think we are getting closer to God. But seeking him is what is needed most.I pray to stay focused on him an not all the other things going on in my worship. thank you and God bless
Amen, that is a challenge for all of us, I think. Thank you for reading, and for sharing!
Im jus coming into learning how to get in his presence, what am i gonna do diff. Is it more like a relaxed, commute, jus tryn to see or understand is this done after a reg. pray after u pray for everyone else. Commute with him in a more loving way? Jus want to understand the diff.