“This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.”
— Psalm 24:6 (NKJV)
David makes a bold statement in his declaration of those who may stand in God’s presence. It is made even more bold when we realize that he lives in a time when adherence to the law, not personal relationship with God, was the expectation.
Jacob was chosen by God to father the twelve tribes and his name is synonymous with God’s chosen people. David’s pointed (and to some, painful) definition of just who those chosen ones are leaves no doubt that they are those who seek God. No mention is made of merely keeping the Law; an impossible task; instead, David declares that those who seek God’s face (relationship with Him) are they who will “ascend into the hill of the Lord”. Earlier I said “painful” in reference to how some might find the notion of actually pursuing God for the purpose of being in relationship with Him. As in David’s time; many today are not interested in seeking God; attending Church on Sunday and a half-hearted attempt at being good is what too often passes for that. David knew that there was more to knowing God than mere acquaintance by second hand experience (from the priest), or by keeping the rules and regulations. Really knowing Him requires that we spend time with Him in prayer; not simply praying for His blessings; listening to what He wants us to know about Himself, and about ourselves. To seek His face we must also study His word; it contains all that we know about Him.
John Wesley once said of the Bible that God has condescended to our desire to be with Him by writing all that we need to know in a book.
There is really no other way to know God personally than through prayer and the study of His word. Our prayer time must be more listening than speaking if we desire to know God. Study the Bible in the same way; listening as the words speak to our need to know God intimately.
Go! Be Jacob as you seek God’s face. n
