Psalm 27:8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

There are evidently some difficulties in translating the Hebrew of the very first part of this verse, given the assorted variations in different translations, but none of that affects the meaning. This whole Psalm is a beautiful expression of the heart of a disciple. No one can be a disciple of Christ without seeking His face. This is the biggest problem with professional Christians, those for whom their faith has become a job. Pastors who don’t pray, or even read the Bible except for sermon preparation, can hardly be called disciples. The moment we think we’ve “got the routine down” we cease being genuine disciples, because the work of a disciple of Christ can only be accomplished by the power of God. True discipleship is a constant pressing in for more of God, laying ourselves open before Him and asking Him to do whatever surgery is necessary in order to transform us into the likeness of His Son, our Lord and Savior. This is not an ivory tower activity; it is in the middle of our interactions with others that we most need Him. However, this is not a desperate, frantic seeking, because a true disciple knows that God always answers, and His answers are always good, even when they are “No.” As the last verse of the Psalm says, a disciple will wait expectantly for God.

This could hardly be more applicable to me, in every detail! I have tasted God and found Him good (Psalm 34:8), and I can’t get enough of Him. At the same time, the pressures of pastoring, particularly when I am bi-vocational of necessity, generate the temptation to kick into automatic mode just to get through another Sunday. I have got to keep my appetite for God fresh, not allowing anything to dull it. It is perversely true that stresses of all sorts can cause us to take our eyes off of God, when they should make us seek Him even more. I’ve got to keep watch over my heart so that I don’t focus on the problems to the exclusion of the One who is the answer to them all.

Father, thank You for the exercise in this very thing that You are giving me right now. Food poisoning can be very distracting! There are many different things pulling at my mind right now, as You well know. Help me rest, relax, and rejoice in You today, trusting You for the answer to each question and staying quiet enough to hear those answers. You know that I need wisdom, and I know that You have the wisdom I need. Help me seek You more than I seek any of the things You provide, as good as they are, so that nothing may hinder or distort the flow of Your Spirit through me, for the blessing of all and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!