David, the shepherd psalmist king, dared to utter the longing of his heart: “Seek His face!”
Let us always be as quick to obey the heart’s commands as David. Your face, Lord, I will seek, David promised.
It’s a universal desire – to stand face-to-face with the answer to every question, to gaze into the beginning of all truth and goodness, to find the way to every happy ending. The face of God is recognized in the image of Christ, and despite religious renderings to the contrary, no photographic evidence of Jesus Christ exists.
So, we seek His face by looking into the Word of God, and as Jesus is its very flesh, I am compelled to believe that every sentence contains something of a revelation of Christ’s identity.
Psalm 45 depicts a mighty king, clothed in majesty and robed in fragrant splendor. His lips have been anointed with grace, and he rides forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.
Here, we materially see not Jesus of Nazareth, but Jesus of Heaven, the glorious Son of God. And He vacated the throne of paradise and all its privilege – power and wealth, strength and wisdom, praise and honor – to become a sweating carpenter, a suffering Savior with not even a place to lay His head.
For what? For you, for me, for love.
High and holy, yet bloody, wounded, and humiliated, Jesus of the Cross is the King we serve. His earthly sacrifice is the weapon that won His heavenly cause.
The Lord decided to leave the luxury of heaven, descend into the emptiness of the world, and open up the gates to the Kingdom. God grants us the privilege of perpetuating the memory of that decision with the decisions we make every day.
Here are five verses to help us contextualize and contemplate Jesus’ most noble gift.
- Luke 6:20
- Philippians 2:8
- Isaiah 59:16
- Isaiah 63:5
- Hebrews 5:8
