“One thing I ask from the LORD, THIS ONLY DO I SEEK: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, TO GAZE ON THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD and to seek Him in his temple.” (Psa. 27:4) The beauty of the Lord can be defined as God possessing EVERYTHING IN HIS CHARACTER THAT IS DESIRABLE. Everything that is good and righteous has its ultimate fulfillment in God. “…let the BEAUTY OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE ON US; and establish the work of our hands on us; yes, the work of our hands, establish it.” (Psa. 90:17) This was a prayer that the charisma of God’s excellence, might be given to His people, that the DIVINE BEAUTY MIGHT SHINE IN THEM, in their lives, in their faces, in their souls. We think of the face of Moses himself, when he came down from the mountain after his forty days communing with God. He had been so long wrapped in God’s divine glory—that his very body was as it were, saturated with His brightness. ”…whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that THE SKIN OF MOSES‘ FACE SHONE, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.” (Exo. 34:35)
Every revelation of God that is made to us—is a revelation of beauty. Everywhere in nature, in the flower that blooms, in the bird that sings, in the dewdrop that sparkles, in the star that shines, in the sunset that burns with splendor—we see REFLECTIONS OF GOD’S BEAUTY.
“He has made EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME; also He has set eternity in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.” (Eccl. 3:11) In the Word of God, every revelation of His divine character presents God to us in surpassing loveliness. “…without controversy GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: God (the Son) was manifested in the flesh…Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.” (1 Tim. 3:16) The beauty of the invisible God made visible to human eyes… We think of Stephen, before his martyrdom, when a window of heaven was opened and a ray of the glory from the holy place fell on him, so exposing his features that even to his enemies, they appeared like the features of an angel. “…all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at Stephen, saw his face as THE FACE OF AN ANGEL.” (Acts 6:15)
Let’s commit ourselves to draw closer to God so His beauty will be seen in us!!!
-Bill Stockham