To Behold the Beauty of The Lord
Merry Monday by Parris Bailey
Ps. 27: 4 “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 enquire in his temple.”
The advantage of being not raised in church (well we went occasionally) and the flip side of “almost living at the church” helped me to love this scripture. Yes, His presence becomes the ONE THING that you desire. I have felt like I have been in one long continuous service since 1973! Just the other day, I was telling a sister about our meetings we had back in bible school. We went on for hours, singing and worshipping and hearing awesome messages from the pastors. (Does this sound familiar?)
What was it we that we were searching for, reaching for? I believe it is the beauty of the Lord. I read that His beauty never deceives, never fades, never loses its power and it never disappoints. How have you grown to love His beauty?
Even in Song of Solomon Chapter 5, we find the Bride being asked about her beloved, and she tries to describe His beauty. “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”
Let me tell you a little secret, the more you gaze at His beauty, you too will become “all glorious within”, for we too will bare the image of the heavenly. I have noticed another secret about His beauty, it’s everywhere. In you (behold, how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together), in the world around us, for even the trees begin to waves their hands like banners, and all creation groans.
Take a look at this quote; “Another thing, which we may call an element of beauty in God, is the combination of his various attributes in one harmonious whole. The colors of the rainbow are beautiful, when taken one by one: but there is a beauty in the rainbow, which arises not from any single tint; there is a beauty in it which would not exist if the several hues were assumed in succession — a beauty which is a result of their assemblage and collocation, and consists in their blended radiance. In like manner so the several perfections, which coexist and unite in the nature of God, produce a glorious beauty. Holiness is beautiful; mercy is beautiful; truth is beautiful. But, over and above, there is a beauty which belongs to such combinations and harmonies as the psalmist describes, when he tells us, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” “Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep,” (Andrew Gray)
And just think it all started with the one thing.