May 25, 2023 -- Psalm 27:7-9a -- The Psalm Series: preach to your heart, mind, will and affections

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
   be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to You,
   “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
   Hide not Your face from me.
Psalm 27:7-9a ESV

How many impulses do you have each day? Impulsively picking up a chocolate bar at the last second and putting it on the check-out conveyor. You didn’t mean to do it, but you didn’t check the impulse either. Or, say something mean? Your mouth opened and what you said just “popped out”. So much of what happens in your life and in mine is a result of a lack of self-discipline. Impulses that were not stopped or checked before they resulted in regrettable actions.

The LORD has said to the Psalmist (and by way of this psalm to us all) “seek My face”. It is a command. There are enemies all around. There are insecurities and fears that threaten to overwhelm him. In an earlier verse he has chosen to sing and make melody to the LORD (verse 6) so that his soul is reminded of the glories of the LORD which are greater than all his troubles. There are so many distractions. So many legit troubles. So many pressures. How does the psalm-writer respond? He decides to preach to his own soul and act. Cutting through everything else his heart says to the LORD, to You, “Your face do I seek”. What keeps him from impulses? What keeps him from sins that would seem to just spring up on him out of nowhere? It is the fact he is cultivating the awareness of the LORD’s presence.

The LORD our God has given us access to Himself through Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. When our soul tells our minds and will and desires to seek Jesus above all else, then we have a mighty army lined up against our impulses. We will be prepared to seek the face of Jesus Christ before everything goes awry. We will seek Him based on our past experiences of His graciousness. We will seek Him when we have failed again. All the while we have this deep and beautiful assurance: He prays to the Father on our behalf.

Our Father in heaven may Your Name be hallowed and forever blessed through-out the earth! You have given us, as New Testament believers, greater revelation than King David had. You have shown Your vigilance and faithfulness in seeking Your people by sending Jesus, the Deliverer. Now, Spirit of the Living God, teach our souls to cling to Jesus so that with the psalmist we continually choose to instruct our heart to cry out to our minds, to our will and to our desires “Your face, LORD Jesus Christ, do I seek”. Amen.

https://youtu.be/BLDEt9KP2O0 "Abide" Aaron Williams

Copyright © 2023 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.