The Shared Gaze

I have had a delightful experience many times during the thirty-nine years of our marriage.  Glen and I will be at a social function or meeting and we will be on opposite sides of the room, perhaps in conversations with other people.  Then, from across the room, one of us will look at the other and catch their eye.  Usually there is a smile, then a reciprocal smile and we will share something that needs no words to be communicated.

In this unspoken communication one of us will be the seeker, the originator of the moment.  The other will be the respondent.

It reminds me of our relationship with God.  Our "seeking" after God is never the first step in a relationship with Him, it is always a response to His seeking us.

"There is none that understandeth, there in none that seeketh after God."  (Romans 3:11.)

God is always seeking us, communicating to us, calling us to Himself.  Indeed, the Scriptures tell us that "in Him we move and live and have our being." (Acts 17:28.)  Our responsibility is to be sought, to respond to the calling and communication of the Lord.

What a wonderful thought for us to ponder as we go throughout our days!  We never seek God apart from His first seeking us.  Our desire to pray, to worship. to read the Scriptures are always a response to His seeking our heart, for He greatly desires a relationship with us.  He is always the One to have the first gaze and we are the ones to reciprocate.

This should swell our hearts and humble us at the same time.  The Lord of the universe is seeking us.  The Creator of all things seeks to have a relationship with us. How much more should it cause us to seek His face and in doing so, find His gaze already upon us.  How much it should sadden us for all those times He was seeking us and we never realized it.  Let us in the days to come be more and more aware of His seeking and let us respond with a full heart of thanksgiving and love.

"When Thou saidst, 'Seek ye My face;' my heart said unto Thee,

 'Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

Psalm 27:8

If My Voice

Words and music by Glen Davis

If my voice is sweet to you, Lord,

As your word declares,

And if somehow You find delight in my prayers,

And if Your face You call me to seek Lord,

Your face I will seek.

And my voice. . .

You will hear.

And my voice. . .
You will hear.