Looking Into the Face of God

Chang Kyu preached a great sermon on Sunday, about looking at God's face. He used the example that he might return home and his daughter would immediately look at his hands - what had he brought for her? He said some Christians are like that - we look at what God can give us. We look at his hands. But he said a real love relationship was to look at someone's face.

This relates to me in my relationships. Am I wanting to gaze at people's faces, admiring them for who they are, and not at how I can benefit through knowing them? I am ashamed to say I am far from that. Am I looking to do the same with God, who is wonderful?

My church (in Oxford) is great at worship - looking into the face of God. It seems to me that some of the more 'traditional churches' talk about Christ's death so much, that they are in danger of focussing on God's hands: what he can give to us, salvation being top of the list. If God hadn't sent Jesus, our faith (in a God who shows mercy and has and will redeem us) might be in vain, as we wouldn't after all be spending eternity with him, but that wouldn''t take away God's greatness. He would stil deserve to be worshipped, do you think? Not for gratitude for life,but with awe of who he is? I am not suggesting Christ's death is not central - without it I would be lost - but without it God would still be whole, although history (and His plans through it) would be very different.