Saturday, February 16, 2013

Five BIble Verses on Appreciating Beauty in the World

1. Psalm 19:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

As said, this is a psalm of David. What was David like? Well he was from a modest upbringing. He was a shepherd. He was on fire for the Lord. He was also very emotional about his praise and love for God. This is why I identify strongly with David, he was very emotional. That's just how I am. And that definitely flows into my spiritual life. David wrote these God inspired Psalms to expound his praise for God! And within David's writing we see communicated God's love for his creation. The heavens or the celestial realms proclaim the glory of God. The angels sing his glory in the heaven beyond our realm. David also writes that the sky itself proclaims his handiwork. This is the first and best step to start to appreciate God's nature more fully. Look at the sky! How often do we miss it in our daily lives? Yet it's there and so incredibly beautiful. The sky is literally God at work. It is his handiwork. It is a constant reminder in a dark world that above is beauty and love and God! So take some time each day to admire the sky. The night sky is wonderful too! It may not seem glorious at first, but pray and continue to watch week by week. God will open up your heart to perceive the fully power of his creation.

2. Colossians 1:16-17 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

This powerful verse from Colossians reminds us that God is in everything. This is a great passage to memorize and recall in your mind when the world seems empty and gloomy. God's word doesn't just teach us, it brings light and happiness to our hearts! He created everything, all people and everything is by his will. This is not the will of Satan in the world, but the will of God to allow these things. So do not fret, and remember when you see a beautiful flower or a moon swept patch of snow, God is speaking to you. If you ask for the notice, he will show you. I know this to be true from experience. We are reminded at the end of the verse that through him all things are held together.

3. Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

This is a passage from Genesis that many of us know well, but have we ever gone deep into it? We may have heard it and read it so many times it doesn't actually sink in. Doesn't mince words or speak half truths. When God says something is good, man, is it good. It is REALLY good. And in this passage, God says it was VERY good. Imagine just how good that must be. I'm sure it's beyond my comprehension in this life. God made it, and it's very good! Well there it is. It is good, existence is good. The Earth is good. We can remember that when observing the beauty of nature. It is all God. Every branch and every flower is God looking back at us.

4. Psalm 33:5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord .

This leads right into the point I was making at the end of the last interpretation. The earth is full of the love of God! And better yet, it's steadfast. It's not going anywhere! It's completely stable and eternal, the love of God. We can lean on it like a rock. We can dive into it in times of trouble and it will not shake. God has all power to do ANYTHING at all! And he gives us power through Jesus to ask of things within his will and boom, he does them! The beginning of the passage is a wonderful reminder that God loves righteousness and justice, which are things that occur in the world behind the scenes. So God creates light in the world, and we as humans also have a small part in that as his servants. So also watch for acts of random kindness, these always make my day better!

5. Psalms 8:3-9 "When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers,
The moon and the stars that you have prepared,
4 What is mortal man that you keep him in mind,
And the son of earthling man that you take care of him?
5 You also proceeded to make him a little less than godlike ones,
And with glory and splendor you then crowned him.
6 You make him dominate over the works of your hands;
Everything you have put under his feet:
7 Small cattle and oxen, all of them,
And also the beasts of the open field,
8 The birds of heaven and the fish of the sea,
Anything passing through the paths of the seas.
9 O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is in all the earth!"

This is another psalm by David, and I included a bit more of it because it's just such a powerful set of verses. Here David is speaking to God directly through the written word. David expounds his amazement for God. You are so big and we are so small yet you take care of us all so closely! We are given dominion over the things he creates. You have blessed us with beautiful life of all kinds! The last line says "Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is in all the earth!" God and his name are the same thing in this passage. David very much shouts at the incredible beauty, and the majesty of God's hands at work in the world. All the nature and animals are his creation! This passage reminds us that we ought to see the world as David does, as something to be in constant awe of. God blesses all his creation!