Face time is the video chat application developed by the Apple company that allows a person to talk from one electronic device (like a cell phone, tablet or computer) to another. The little camera and microphone captures your image and sound and transmits it to the party you are connected to. It’s been a great application for us in our family because we can stay in visual and verbal touch with our son, Sam, and his wife, Yein, in Cambodia.
The Apple corporation masterfully chose the term face time for their “app.” Prior to unveiling their electronic application, the “face time” term was meant to describe the time spent in face-to-face contact with someone. The term has been around a long time.
So, I’m using the FACE TIME term to title today’s email. It’s a good fit for what I believe the Lord wants to say to us and here it is: God wants more face time with you and me! A lot more of it! But what does having face time with God really mean? Does it mean praying longer, louder, more often, faster . . . ? What does it mean?
Let me try to explain face time this way. When I first met the young lady who ultimately became my wife I thought she was a nice person. I greeted and talked with her briefly. That was it – limited face time. Then on subsequent occasions with more conversation I came to realize she was a realllllly nice person and worth becoming better acquainted with. I wanted more face time! After about a year I found myself thinking about her most of the time. I wanted to be around her . . . with her . . . share life in all its fullness with her. We became inseparable and indispensible. We slowly became intertwined in each other’s life. Then we made it official and we married. She’s the love of my life and there’s no way we live life without each other – all because of face time. And face time keeps love and life going.
That’s how it is with God, and better. Whether through formal prayer or quickie chats . . . or worship and praise . . . or meditating and thinking about Him . . . or giving my heart to Him . . . or obedience, devotion, serving, giving, receiving and so on. It’s all intentional face time with Him. I am intertwined with Him and can’t live life without Him.
There’s also something else to be said about face time that is reallllly important. It has to do with the quality of our time with God. Maybe that’s what is meant by You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.1 Sometimes religion treats relational face timewith God through the means of dead forms and rituals. But God wants more. He wants our hearts. He wants me “in gear” and by that I mean; He does not want me to “coast” in my relationship with Him – no mental, unwilling or heartless coasting. Face time with God means being fully engaged with Him. The Apostle Paul prayed this for the Thessalonian Christians; May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God . . .3
Throughout the Bible we are reminded to seek the Lord; to call upon Him; to be in His presence, and to especially express our love and respect to Him. Remember what the psalmist said: In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.2
Face time means to be in His presence! It’s interesting to note that the primary Old Testament Hebrew word for “presence” is the word “face.” So, let’s seek His face . . .
Face timing with God!
–John Tolle
Next week: Why should I seek God’s presence when the Bible says He will never leave me nor forsake me?
1 – Jeremiah 29:13
2 – Psalm 16:11
3 – 2 Thessalonians 3:5