See the Beauty (Behold Jesus)Sample

There was a Bethel song I used to love as a new believer called "Wonder." The lyrics go something like:

"May we never lose our wonder.

Wide-eyed and mystified

May we be just like a child

Staring at the beauty of our King..."

I loved this song because it encouraged my imagination to see beauty in an invisible God. What is interesting is that when I think of God's beauty, I don't imagine a human being, but I picture a covering of love and care. It is quite something to refer to God as beautiful when in fact we have not seen His face, and maybe that is why the songwriter said "you are beautiful in all your ways". This beauty and awe we're talking about isn't physical prettiness but a beautiful presence. Living in Cape Winelands, it takes a stubbornness not to see God's beauty in creation all around us. Most late afternoons of summer and spring, you see the clouds covering the Stellenbosch mountains in endearment and softness. God's beauty is found everywhere in the world if we stop and behold it. I love that believers and non-believers marvel at the beauty of a moon every so often. Paul writes about God's beauty displayed to everyone on earth in Romans 1:20 NLT: "For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."

Life demands our attention in several ways, and we may lose our wonder. When we fill our hearts with wonder, we get to trust that the God we serve is in the details of creation, including us. Consider the wildflowers in spring, the moon at night, the power of the ocean, and the magnitude of the mountains; God is displaying His beautiful presence all around us. I would like to challenge you to stop and find awe in God's creation each day. This act will strengthen your faith and fill your heart with gratitude. I am not asking you to ignore the hard knocks of life; I am encouraging you to create space in your heart to see the beauty of God and let your heart be filled with wonderment.

Dear Lord,

Fill our hearts with wonder. Help us to see you in creation and, in doing so, lead us away from the temptation of worshipping creation, but fill our hearts with awe of you. Teach us to behold your beauty and find rest in your majesty. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen