Going online to that trusty BibleGateway.com site, I type in my search: “seek My face.” Taking the results in the order God gives it to me, the first passage I see is 2 Chronicles 7:14.

“If…My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Drawn to the footnote, I read, “This well-known verse states God’s requirements for blessing: humility, prayer, devotion, and repentance.”

Wow. I see a couple of cool applications here.

When we seek God’s face in right ways, with humility of heart, praying in earnest, devoted to Him and repentant of sin, we enter the blessing of God. How awesome is that.

Now reverse that thought. When we are humble before God, seeking Him through unceasing communion of prayer, totally devoted to Him, desiring His ways above our own, we bless the heart of God. God created us not only so that He can bless our lives with His presence, but so He can have the blessing of our presence in His life! “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me; bless His Holy Name!”

Did you note the word used in the footnote for “seek My face”? DEVOTION.

God said to my heart, “Know Me. I am seeking your face.” If seeking His face comes from a heart of devotion, reversing the picture to His seeking our face reveals that God is devoted to His children. Devotion, according to Webster, is “the fact or state of being ARDENTLY dedicated and loyal to.”

Ardent: “Fiery hot, shining, glowing. Characterized by warmth of feeling typically expressed in eager, zealous support and activity.” Our God is ardently dedicated and loyal to us. The Amplified translation of this verse adds to our understanding:

“If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place.” (vs. 14-15 AMP)

Could it be true that God is devoted to us, seeking for, craving after, and requiring our face as His own necessary need for life made full? I believe so, as God chooses to love us because He is love, and love needs a place to go (1 John 4:7-8). God chooses that place to be the heart of His image bearers: the men, women and children for whom He—in the body of His Son—died with the purpose of providing for us this relationship with Him.

What an awesome beginning to my journey, as I continue my study to know and understand fully that God, whom I am called to come into intimate knowledge of, is seeking “MY” face.