Topical Bible: Prayer is Described as Seeking the Face of the Lord

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In the biblical context, prayer is often depicted as seeking the face of the Lord, a metaphor that conveys a deep, personal, and intimate pursuit of God's presence and favor. This expression underscores the relational aspect of prayer, emphasizing a desire to connect with God on a profound level.

The phrase "seeking the face of the Lord" is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, where the "face" of God symbolizes His presence and attention. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 , the Lord speaks to Solomon, saying, "and 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, forgive their sin, and heal their land." Here, seeking God's face is associated with humility, repentance, and a sincere turning towards God, highlighting the transformative power of prayer.

Psalm 27:8 further illustrates this concept: "My heart said, 'Seek His face.' Your face, O LORD, I will seek." This verse reflects a heartfelt yearning for God's presence, indicating that seeking His face is not merely a ritualistic act but a deep, inner longing for communion with the Creator. The psalmist's response demonstrates a commitment to pursuing God with intentionality and devotion.

The New Testament continues this theme, where seeking God's face is linked to the pursuit of His kingdom and righteousness. In Matthew 6:33 , Jesus instructs, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." While not explicitly mentioning God's face, the verse implies that seeking God's kingdom involves a relational pursuit of His presence and will.

Prayer as seeking the face of the Lord also involves a recognition of God's holiness and majesty. In Isaiah 6:5 , the prophet Isaiah, upon encountering the Lord, exclaims, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts." This encounter underscores the awe and reverence that accompany seeking God's face, acknowledging His supreme holiness and our own need for purification.

Moreover, seeking the face of the Lord in prayer is an act of dependence and trust. Psalm 105:4 encourages believers to "Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always." This call to continual seeking reflects a reliance on God's strength and guidance, recognizing that true fulfillment and direction come from His presence.

In summary, prayer as seeking the face of the Lord is a multifaceted concept that encompasses humility, repentance, longing, reverence, and dependence. It is an invitation to enter into a deeper relationship with God, to experience His presence, and to align one's life with His will and purposes. Through this pursuit, believers are drawn closer to the heart of God, finding peace, guidance, and transformation in His presence.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 27:8
When you said, Seek you my face; my heart said to you, Your face, LORD, will I seek.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Gethsemane Prayer
... The scene is well described by Luke: ... of spiritual laziness, and of half-heartedness
in prayer, are covered ... Jesus did this once in seeking to change the purpose ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/xii the gethsemane prayer.htm

Prayer Perfumed with Praise
... in the Canticles where the king is described as coming up ... to ask, we cannot possibly
be seeking for blessings ... necessity, draw nigh to God in prayer, but always ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 25 1879/prayer perfumed with praise.htm

Paul a Pattern of Prayer
... speak but in all his messages to his disciples he is seeking to lead ... It is not simply
a great power that is described but an exceedingly ... Prayer for Perseverance ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/paul a pattern of prayer.htm

1861-1869. Prayer of Hon. And Rev. Baptist Noel --Residence in ...
... in trying to improve in reading, in seeking to clothe ... Scenes of a different character
must now be described. ... Christian workers could meet for prayer or counsel ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lowe/gods answers/chapter i 1861-1869 prayer of.htm

What Life May be Made
... fear, of duty, of effort, of seeking, and of ... natural result of the experiences already
described in the ... and have known Him as answering prayer, prospering our ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/what life may be made.htm

The Power of Prayer in Relation to Outward Circumstances.
... asking in your prayers for the reason of them, or seeking to know ... will now, I hope,
admit that there is no true prayer but that which I described in the ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/i the power of prayer.htm

The New Commandment
... it seems to me that no good can come of self-seeking. ... it do if I wrote at Easter
and described my dream ... and my meditation"which was not the "prayer of quiet ...
/.../martin/the story of a soul/chapter x the new commandment.htm

the New Commandment
... it seems to me that no good can come of self-seeking. ... it do if I wrote at Easter
and described my dream ... and my meditation"which was not the "prayer of quiet ...
//christianbookshelf.org/therese/story of a soul/chapter x - the new.htm

The Sweet Uses of Adversity
... God loves to see a man mighty in prayer, intent upon ... he will have Christ, or he will
perish seeking him. ... I heard the groaning which cannot be described; and as ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the sweet uses of adversity.htm

A Poor Man's Cry, and what came of It
... If your prayer is no better than a seeking after one you ... according to our text, prayer
is best described as a ... How wonderfully God has heard prayer from men in ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a poor mans cry and.htm