FEBRUARY 6
Psalm 27:4, “To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.”
What is the last beautiful thing you gazed upon? A beautiful building or work of art or some other creation of man? A beautiful sunrise or sunset, mountain or landscape, or some other part of God’s creation? Has something of beauty so caught your attention that your eyes could not look away, as you gazed with wonder or deep appreciation?
The psalmist, David, was not ignorant of the ugliness that exists in this sin-cursed world. Evildoers sought to do him harm. False witnesses conspired against him. Throughout his troubles, he looked to the Lord, his stronghold, to protect and shelter him. It was in the Lord that he found confidence and was not afraid!
But he looked to the Lord not just because he needed help, he understood something of the beauty of the Lord. Is He beautiful? Nothing can surpass His beauty! Set apart in His holiness, He is beautiful in all his ways. He is beautiful in each of His attributes. As a rainbow derives its beauty in the combination of its colors, the beauty of the Lord stands in the summation of all His perfections. If there is beauty in this world and in the heavens, how much more beauty is possessed by the One who created it all!
Scripture speaks to the fact that no one has seen God, but Jesus has made him known (John 1:18). The disciples beheld the glory of Jesus and devoted their lives to serving Him (John 1:14). The Holy Spirit opened your eyes to the glory of Jesus in the face of Jesus, and you put your trust in Him (2 Corinthians 4:6). One day, when you enter His presence, and you’ll marvel at him (2 Thessalonians 1:10). It is a work of the Spirit to unveil to us the beauty of the Lord even now (John 16:14). For now, we seek to know Him better (Philippians 3:10). We do well to do as the hymn says: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace” (Hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”)!
“Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, and Thy beauty fills my soul!” –“Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting;” Jean S. Pigott
Application questions: Think back to some beautiful thing that captivated your attention. What made it beautiful? What makes Jesus beautiful? By what means does the Spirit work to open our eyes to Him? Someday you’ll see Him face-to-face, how much thought and anticipating do you give to that day?
LookingtoJesus 