MERRY MONDAY- Parris Bailey
Blaise Pascal said, “The serene, silent beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world, next to the might of the Spirit of God.”
Psalms 29:1 Worship The Lord in the Beauty of Holiness”
This past weekend the Boque Falaya River overflowed its banks right outside my house. I was mystified watching it change from this clear gentle 4ft deep river to 8ft and raging. Frank and I were on red alert- water surrounded our little island of property. I even opened my windows that night to hear the sound of the mighty river raging. The next night the frogs sang me to sleep. The last two days, I made it a point to sit by this river, read and try to take in THE BEAUTY OF HIS HOLINESS. That river painted a picture to me of how my life has been the past few weeks/even months. Full of distractions that rise and fall, causing my soulish nature to be caught up in self preservation and distrust. God’s holiness is reflected in His beauty and attractiveness. It is his “utterly unique divine essence”. (Piper) Piper goes onto to say, “God’s holiness is his drawing, pulling, tugging splendor. For the wicked, God’s holiness is revolting. For the awakened, the great works of regeneration and sanctification bring true spiritual delight to the holy. ”
Thomas Watson said, “After the fall, the affections were misplaced on wrong objects; in sanctification, they are turned into a sweet order and harmony, the grief placed on sin, the love on God, the joy on heaven.” The beauty of His Holiness is described as: His glorious sanctuary, holy attire, the vestments of the sanctuary, the beautiful robes of the priesthood, in other words true holiness of the soul.
The Preachers Commentary says, “He who cannot find God in His works, is likely to miss Him in His Word.” Do I wake up amazed at another day of His presence? Am I thankful just to be or am I always wanting something more than His love? I have had the privilege of being able to teach the Song of Solomon twice a week to a small group of women. The beauty of holiness is the magnificence, glory, excellency, honor of holiness. It is His splendor that we are seeking-the beauty, comeliness, excellency and glory of Him. The Israel people were commanded to worship The Lord in the beauty of holiness. (1 Chron.16:29& 2Chron.20:21)I am quite sure when we spend our time doing this, our day will certainly turn out “amazed by Him again”. Whatever is distracting you, it can wait for another moment.
Richard Baxter (Puritan) wrote that holiness is… Nothing else but the habitual and predominant devotion and dedication of soul, and body, and life, and all that we have to God; and esteeming, and loving, and serving, and seeking Him, before all the pleasures and prosperity of the flesh. Horatius Bonar wrote that holiness extends to every part of our person, fills up our being, spreads over our life, influences everything we are, or do, or think, or speak, or plan, small or great, outward or inward, negative or positive, our loving, our hating, our sorrowing, our rejoicing, our recreations, our business, our friendships, our relationships, our silence, our speech, our reading, our writing, our going out and our coming in—our whole man in every movement of spirit, soul, and body.