Episode Transcript
[00:00:08] Welcome to the creative team talks podcast for Hillsong Creative.
[00:00:19] Hey there, Gabe here from our creative team and I just wanted to touch base really quickly before the weekend and encourage you. So thank you for tuning in to our creative team talk for this week. I have been really challenged and encouraged by a couple of verses and one thought that I wanted to share with you before we go into our services this weekend. So sit with me as I read two verses, the first of which is really well known to our team and to our church. It's in two chronicles seven and it's the Lord speaking to his people. And the verse 14 says, if my people who are called by my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.
[00:01:12] The second verse that I want to read, and I'm curious to see if you notice the similarity, is psalm 27, verse seven says, hear my voice when I call, o Lord, and be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, Lord, seek his face and your face, o Lord, will I seek. Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, for you have been my helper always. Do not reject or forsake me, God my savior. Though my father, mother and own flesh will forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, o Lord, and lead me in a straight path.
[00:01:50] Two things really quickly that I want to point out and hopefully something that will help us heading into this weekend as we serve in church, the scripture often talks about the hand of God, and that's used to represent his power, his works, his ability, his strength. Scripture also talks about the feet of God, meaning his guidance and his direction and his leading. Both of these things are beautiful aspects of God's character and things we should be grateful for and pursue.
[00:02:17] However, one thing that we sometimes neglect is to actually talk about the face of God. The face of God is used figuratively in the scriptures to represent the presence or the very person of God himself. We see this in Matthew, chapter 18. Now something about me and probably something about you. I have been guilty of seeking just God's hands and just God's feet when I should have been seeking his face.
[00:02:43] I've been seeking God for answers to my questions, or I've been seeking him for direction. I've been asking him for provision. I've been asking him for my needs. When I should have been seeking his face. I should have been drawing close to the father, learning more about him, discovering him in new ways, learning more about him and learning to love him like I haven't before, growing in relationship and devotion with the Father. When we seek the face of God, this is what we learn because we don't come for anything but closeness and intimacy with him.
[00:03:23] So this weekend, as we move into our services and we get ready for bump ins and sound checks and video checks and all these different things, don't bring your gift of worship because of what God can do for you. Don't bring it because you want something from him. Don't bring it because you need something from him. Instead, bring it because the worship gift you have been given and the opportunity to serve is a way that you can draw closer to him, to become more like him. In short, seek his face, not just his hands or his feet.
[00:03:58] I pray that our worship would be pure and sincere this week. I pray that it would bless the heart of God. My prayer for your Sunday and in our campuses everywhere, is that the name of Jesus would be exalted and his church would continue to advance as we seek his face. This weekend, I pray that you discover the father to be more beautiful than you could have imagined, more kind than you could have anticipated, and more glorious than you'd ever recognized before.
[00:04:26] So in short, thank you for being part of this. I'm excited about where our team is going and our church is going and pray that you have a fantastic weekend in your location, wherever you are. So have a great Sunday, love you all and see you sooner.
