Have you ever been in a place that you know well, maybe somewhere quite local, and been suddenly overwhelmed by something of outstanding beauty? Or perhaps further afield, in a forest or by a river or on a mountain. You’ve been there before, but this time is different. Perhaps it’s a dawn chorus, or the dappled sunshine filtering through the leaves, or watching the amazing evening display of flocks of birds before they come down to roost. These are times when you are stopped in your tracks in silent wonder. Only God could do such things.

I heard of a man in New Zealand, aged about 40, who decided to take a couple of weeks off to think through his life options, camped on a high mountain ridge. His tent pitched, he sat that first evening with a cup of coffee, and was treated to the most wonderful sunset – it was like a bowl of liquid fire slowly sinking into the earth. The sky seemed to echo the beauty of it, and everything was quiet, including his heart.

All from one little seed! No wonder it's called 'Cosmos'!! (cosmos sulphureus)Then, in the dusk, he felt a voice say to him, Turn around. So he turned, and from behind the ridge the huge silver moon was just rising. He felt that these awesome displays of beauty were given - just for him. Have you been to places like that? And been quieted in your spirit by unexpected beauty, wondering…?

Myths and Legends - or Truth

Many ancient peoples have myths and legends of our origins, and of the earth’s formation. But the Bible tells of a God who thought of the universe and then spoke it into being - created it - including man (male and female) in His image. He pronounced it all tov me’od, very good (Gen 1:27, 31), and it was beautiful.

Everything we can see today, from the furthest galaxies we can detect, to the electromagnetic forces that hold atoms together: all are His gifts for us to see the reflection of His beauty, evidence of His handiwork and of His glory (Ps 19:1; 24:1-2). Day by day He still creates things of wonder, and His beauty is reflected in the beauty of His creation. It is for us a doorway into the awesome joy of His presence (Ps 16:11).

So whether we look with our own eyes, or through telescopes and microscopes, we are brought to wonder at the beauty of what He has made, and of who He is, that we might worship him in reverence and joy.

“For since the Creation, God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen and understood, so that we are without excuse” (Rom 1:20). Three times the scriptures command us to worship Him in the beauty of His holiness.

Outward vs Inner Beauty

However, mankind often just looks at the outward appearance. This beauty is transient, and may be only superficial (Matt 23:27). But there is also an inner beauty that is a reflection of God’s beauty, His image. Samuel reminds us that to see real beauty: we should not look at external things, because the Lord looks on the heart, at man’s inner character, his inner beauty (1 Sam 16:7).

So let us be quiet before His beauty, both in nature and in people, and in awe be stilled and know that He is God, our Creator. Wise ones still seek to behold (to gaze upon) the beauty of the Lord (Ps 27:4).

Help us, Lord, to see Your beauty in Your creation, and especially Your inner beauty in other people, having Your image of compassion, grace, forgiveness, love, faithfulness and justice – the meaning of Your Name (Ex 34:6); and to cultivate this beauty in ourselves. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us (Ps 90:17). Amen.

Author: Greg Stevenson