One Thing

READ: PSALMS 27; 63; 84

We sing of Your power,
We lift up Your might,
We praise Your goodness and grace!
We exalt You as holy,
We kneel to Your Name—
But for a glimpse of Thy face.

In Your face is delight
that none can contain,
gladness, glory, and beauty!

For You are our Maker,
our soul’s one desire—
Our spirit is thirsting for Thee.

Your presence, O God,
Your beauty we seek,
Your face as fair as the dawn!
For nothing on earth
shall yet satisfy—
Our heart yearns for Thee alone.

What do you think it means to gaze at God’s beauty (Psalm 27:4)? Some Bible teachers describe it as simply taking pleasure in God—praising and delighting in every aspect of His being, much like we might take a long hike just to enjoy the coolness and calm of a secluded waterfall. Likewise, we can travel paths that lead us to the refreshing peace of God’s presence (Psalm 23:2-3). The path is not hidden—many have gone before. Most notably, we can follow the words of the psalmists. May we read them, sing them, pray them—and let God speak through them. Day by day, let us join with David in saying, “Your face, LORD, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8). And as we do, may we grow to recognize and delight in His glory, His goodness, His grace…and yes, His beauty. For once we know Him, nothing less than beautiful will do. • G. Kam Congleton

• What kinds of circumstances are the psalmists facing? Do they seem shy about asking for God’s help? Is it possible that being in God’s presence is one way we experience His help?

• Now the question is: How do we seek the presence—or face—of God? A great way to begin is to simply do what the psalmists do. Consider taking some time to talk to God, using the psalms as a model. Remember that as you seek God, He is already seeking you. We know this because Jesus “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Without Jesus, we are all lost—adrift, cut off from where we belong—because our sin separates us from God. But, through Jesus’s death and resurrection, we can be reconciled—or reconnected—to God (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Colossians 1:22). And so, putting our trust in Jesus is the first step in experiencing God’s presence (Hebrews 4:14-16). (You can find out more about trusting Jesus on our “Know Jesus” page.)

One thing I ask from the LORD…that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4 (NIV)