God Is Beautiful
For many years (a phrase which seems to introduce almost everything I say or write these days), I have thought about and preached on the subject of the beauty of God. I have never heard anyone teach on the subject, but I did through the decades come across two written sermons on the topic, “The Beauty of the Lord” by J. D. Jones and “Are There Shortcuts to the Beauty of Holiness?” (the short answer is “No!”) by A. W. Tozer. More recently, I read a review of a scholarly article about the American preacher Jonathan Edwards (of “sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” fame) that mentioned in passing that the beauty of God was one of the great themes in his preaching. I was thus encouraged that I have not headed off on an unprofitable tangent. In simple terms, beauty is that which attracts, causes a favorable interest, and creates an affinity. Such real, eternal beauty is found in our God. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
David, the potentate poet, wrote about God’s beauty. In Psalm 27:4, he states, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” In David’s day, this place of worship was the Tabernacle, the portable, functional, and unusually lovely center of Jewish life. Certainly its beauty was eye-catching: gold-plated wood, luxurious and colorful animal skins, intricate draperies, and gold implements. Today, our places of worship range from the majestic (cathedrals and basilicas) to the simple (small country churches). Personally, I prefer the clean lines of simple architecture, uncluttered and unadorned. However, I admire the beauty of larger, more ornate structures and understand why some people want to worship in such buildings. More important than the beauty of the structure, of course, is “the beauty of the Lord.” David was attracted to a beautiful place of worship by the far greater “beauty of the Lord.” Logically and reasonably, David was attracted by the attractiveness of God. In the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, the immediate presence of God resided. It is upon the beauty of God’s presence that David desired to meditate (“inquire” in the KJV). Our God is infinite and can be worshiped anywhere, but there is something special about a sanctuary set apart to God. It requires effort to upkeep and to attend; moreover, its difference reminds us of the absolute distinctiveness of our transcendent God. The next time we attend church, may we each ask God to show us even more of His beauty, of His presence.