Scripture: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” – Matthew 6:6
Teshuvah is an intimate journey. It’s not just about actions; it’s about the condition of the heart. On this second day of our journey, we are invited to go deeper—to seek God’s face, not merely His hand. What does that mean? In Hebrew, the word for face is “panim”, which is also connected to the word for “inner being.” Seeking God’s face means pursuing His presence, His essence, not just His blessings.
The prophet Jeremiah gives us the assurance that when we seek God with all our heart, we will find Him. But seeking requires humility. It requires time. It requires the courage to face ourselves honestly. The Elul season is a time when we reflect on the past year, not simply to feel guilty, but to bring our missteps into the light of God’s mercy.
Yeshua taught His disciples to pray in private, in the quiet place where distractions are set aside. This instruction echoes the Jewish value of personal, heartfelt communion with God. While synagogue prayers and communal repentance are vital, the real work of Teshuvah happens in the stillness of our souls.
King David cried, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Psalm 139:23). This openness, this vulnerability, is the heart posture of Teshuvah. We don’t come to God trying to defend or justify ourselves. We come as children, broken and beloved, longing for restoration.
For Messianic believers, Yeshua is the face of God made visible. In seeking Him, we come face-to-face with the fullness of God’s mercy, truth, and love. As it says in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Messiah.”
Reflection: – Are you seeking God’s face or merely His gifts? – What is one area of your heart that needs to be opened to Him today?
Prayer: Abba, I want to know You—not just to receive from You, but to draw close to You. In this season of Teshuvah, help me seek Your face with a whole heart. Through Yeshua, may I behold Your glory and be transformed by Your presence. Amen.
