What Is Prayer? - Derek Prime

From Practical Prayer, by Derek Prime


Seeking God's Face (Psalm 27:8)

When you said to me, "Seek My face," my heart said "Your face I will seek."

This is a delightful Old Testament description of prayer, found most of all in the book of Psalms. Physical sight is not what is meant, but the seeing of God with the inward eye, which is an anticipation of what awaits us in a new and wonderful way in the new life to come.

The verb from which the word 'face' comes means to turn towards someone, to really pay attention to him or her. A person's face identifies him to us, and often reflects his feelings, attitudes and sentiments. To seek God's face, therefore, is to come into God's presence with the deliberate purpose of communicating with Him.

It is not like giving thanks for a meal, or reciting the Lord's Prayer, which sometimes we don't even remember afterward whether or not we prayed. That is the opposite of deliberately and earnestly seeking God's face.

Imagine going into a crowded room in order to establish contact with a friend to enlist his assistance. You know that if you catch his eye--seek his face--he will get your message and come to your aid. As you seek him in the room, you will keep looking his way until he sees you, until you see him turn his face toward you.

And then you will know you have been successful.

To seek God's face is to be occupied with God's Person before we start asking Him for anything, and then not to stop seeking Him until we know that His face is turned towards us, and that our requests are received by Him with pleasure.

It is no surprise that seeking God's face is a key secret of radiance

Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
(Psalm 34:5)