Seeking Jesus' Face Again (In Response to Oh, Lord You're Beautiful)

[Anemone]

Lately, I've been caught up in work, my children's school activities, and the responsibilities of being a wife. All of these demands were piling up before me, and I realized that the more worldly responsibilities I took on, the less I was seeing Jesus’ face. As I lost sight of Him, problems began to multiply.

You might think that prioritizing worldly concerns first would be the way to go—taking care of your marriage before seeking Jesus, focusing on your children before turning to Him. Yet, as I tended to these earthly matters, the evil spirits of anxiety, stress, insecurity, sadness, and loneliness lurked just around the corner, waiting for their chance to weigh me down.

The weight of fulfilling my roles as a wife, mother, daughter, employee, friend—everything the world demands—clouded my true identity: Jesus’ bride, Jesus’ mother, Jesus’ daughter, Jesus’ worker, and Jesus’ friend.

Then, through Hodah’s post, I was reminded of a song I once cherished—“Lord, You’re Beautiful” by Chris Tomlin. One particular verse resonated with me: “Lord, you’re beautiful. Your face is all I seek. And when your eyes are on this child, your grace abounds with me.” This reminded me to seek His face—only His.

Would this SOLVE all my worldly responsibilities? No, but it would DISSOLVE the burdens that accompany them. Truly, His grace will overflow as I navigate this world, but only if I look to Him. So, I have once again chosen to seek Jesus’ face because He is so beautiful. His identity will be my own, and He is the ONLY one I will pursue. After just two days of reorienting my thoughts and focusing solely on Him, I can already feel the weight lifting off my shoulders. I eagerly anticipate the days ahead, seeking the beautiful One.

My practical approach to seeking Jesus’ face may seem modest compared to others, but I’d like to share what I do: I sing praise songs while I cook and clean. Right now, I’m singing and humming “Lord, You’re Beautiful.” When painful memories or thoughts arise, I recite Philippians 4:6-7 or pray in Jesus’ name. When I’m tempted to sin, I remind myself, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” When interacting with family or friends, I ask myself how I would behave if that person were Jesus. And when I feel exhausted, I let God know and remember His beauty.

Now, here’s my version of the song:
“Oh, Lord. You’re beautiful.
Your face is all I see (original version is “seek”). 
And when my eyes are on this Child (Original version is when Your eyes are on this child). 
Your grace abounds with me.”

Hodah, thank you for the reminder.

Jesus, thank you for Your face.

Amen.

Chris Tomlin - O Lord You're Beautiful (Lyric Video) feat. Steffany Gretzinger (youtube.com)