July 3, 2020
Think of something beautiful you’ve seen recently…
Can you see it in your mind?
For me, I took two big vacations in the span of 4 months. My first cruise exposed me to breathtaking sunrises from one of the upper decks. I was in awe of the sheer size of the sunrise – and sunset for that matter – as it covered the expanse of the horizon. I remember the way the light played off of the ocean and I felt the warmth of the sun on my face. The waves were gentle, the environment perfect. I recall a visit to Roatan. It rained, which I hear is common, and I suggested we might see a rainbow. The driver began looking then suddenly pulled the car over and there it was – a perfect rainbow over the perfect scene. Palm trees, empty chairs sitting in perfect white sand, and the most gorgeous blue ocean I have ever seen covered by a full rainbow. Then there was Israel – so much beauty in the faces of the people, the streets of Jerusalem, the prayers folded into the crevices of the Western Wall, sitting on cobblestone that existed when Jesus walked the earth in the area of Magdala. Breathtaking.
I’m thinking about beautiful things because of my Bible reading for the day. Psalms 33:1 gave me pause:
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Then I heard this question and response drop quickly into my heart: what is the most beautiful thing you can think of Marci? Your praise is more beautiful than that.
Can you imagine that? Your praise is more beautiful to the God of the Universe than the MOST beautiful thing you can think about! AND, He created the thing you thought about!
Margaret Wolfe Hungerford was the first to pen the phrase: “It’s that true beauty is in the eye of the beholder” in her best selling novel Molly Bawn in 1878. I agree. For me, the moments I described above were made beautiful by more than what I could see with my eyes – it was an experience, an encounter if you will. I wonder then if praise from me, from you, is beautiful to Him then because we are beautiful to Him. He created us after all – He fashioned you and me individually and He knows our hearts (Psalms 33:15).
One of the definitions of “Rejoice” or Ranan in Hebrew is to “vibrate the voice” which has significant meaning for me. To raise one’s voice – to SHOUT – to VIBRATE our voice BECAUSE the God of the Universe, the One True God, has done great things! And when we do that – when we praise – when I vibrate my voice through the pain – it is “Na’veh” – beautiful, comely, seemly, and right.
My go-to praise guide is Psalms 103 – I pause after every verse and speak out the praise that verse directs.
Join me today to give the Creator of the Universe, the One True, Holy God something beautiful to behold.
mlp
