Hungering and Thirsting for the Face of God

The goals for our life should be: to obey every New Covenant command; and to experience the fulfillment of every New Covenant promise. At the end of each year, it's good to examine our lives in these 2 areas. Satisfaction is something that everyone seeks -- the world knows temporary satisfaction; Jesus promised eternal satisfaction. In light of the satisfaction that Jesus promises (Matthew 5:6), ask yourself: “Am I experiencing the fulfillment of the eternal satisfaction that Jesus promised me in this verse?” Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness the way starving people hunger and thirst for food and water? “The backslider gets bored with himself; the godly man’s life is satisfying / exciting” (Proverbs 14:14 TLB). God calls us only to seek His face (Psalm 27:4-8). To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to hunger and thirst for God Himself (Philippians 3:7-9). We will find God when we seek Him with all of ourselves (Jeremiahs 29:11-13). “My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God; at any cost, dear Lord, by any road. So faith bounds forward to its goal in God, upheld by Him, my soul is following hard, 'til God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer. No matter if the way be sometimes dark, no matter though the cost be oft-times great, one thing I know, I cannot say Him nay; one thing I do, I press towards my Lord; my God my glory here, from day to day, and in the glory there my great Reward.” (Frances Brook, 1895) Jacob, "the grabber" made one last grab when He said to God, "I will not let You go until..." (Genesis 32:6-7,24-30). He sought “Peniel” (the face of God) with weeping (Hosea 12:4) and received it. When we seek God's face, He tests our earnestness; finally, at our weakest moment, He says, “You’ve won!” “Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free. Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be. I sink in life's alarms when by myself I stand; iImprison me within Thine arms, and strong shall be my hand.” (George Matheson, 1842-1906)