We'll Never Get Tired of Seeing God's Face
A year ago, in the dead of winter, we flew to Mexico and stayed at an all-inclusive resort. The food was plentiful. The beach was beautiful. It felt great to escape from winter and most of my responsibilities.
A few days in, I found myself asking: Is this it? I first noticed it in the buffet. Although we had hundreds of options for food, I began to tire of the same options every day. I began to tire of the same room, the same beaches, and the same resort.
I’ve seen this in other areas of life, too. No matter what we have, we eventually grow dissatisfied. The new job, the dream house, the latest gadget—they all fade. What once excited us becomes mundane, leaving us searching for new thrills. We’re always longing for something that lasts, something that truly satisfies.
We always want more, but the more never gives us what we want.
This is where Numbers 6 is helpful. The words are familiar:
The LORD bless you and keep you,
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you,
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24–26)
This passage encapsulates the essence of the gospel. It offers us everything we need: God’s blessing, protection, grace, and peace. It provides us with the only thing that can truly satisfy us: his face shining on us. It’s what we were made for. It’s what we ache for, even though we try to satisfy this ache with lesser things.
Seeing God would be soul-satisfying in a way that nothing else could ever be. Sin prevents us from seeing God’s face, but Numbers 6 offers a blessing: God's people can be assured that his face is shining upon them. His disposition toward us is one of grace and goodness.
Although this is very good news, it still doesn’t give us what we need most. We still desire to see God's face. And, according to Scripture, one day we will.
Revelation 22:4 promises, “They will see his face.” One day, we will see the immeasurable riches of our infinite God. We will see God in his glory, and it will be the sight for which we’ve ached. It won’t satisfy us for a moment or two; it will satisfy us forever. David Mathis describes it as “eternal and dynamic—ever clearer and deeper.” Jonathan Edwards captures it beautifully: “After they have had the pleasure of beholding the face of God millions of ages, it will not grow a dull story, the relish of this delight will be as exquisite as ever.”
This is what we were made for. That's why nothing else ever feels sufficient. The sunniest beach, the most luxurious meal, the most exciting achievement—they’re all shadows. They can’t bear the weight of our deepest longings. Only God can.
Right now, we only get a foretaste of this reality. But one day, we’ll see God face to face, and it will satisfy our souls for eternity. Nothing else ever could.
