Beauty

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 

Psalm 27.4

The psalmist expresses a deep and heartfelt request with these words. Firstly, he is seeking the Lord. What can be more wonderful than this! In another Scripture, the writer encourages me to fix my eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12.2) Again, what joy: to seek God and to fix my eyes on Jesus. I see the whole of life encapsulated by, and generated through, these words.

The psalmist's desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord for the whole of his life. In other words, to live -every minute of every day - in God's abode, to abide in Him at all times. This fulfils Jesus' encouragement to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. (Matt. 6.33) The consistency of these words is striking deep into me. Nothing, surely, can be more important than giving myself completely to Him, seeking Him and His way for me in all that I am and all that I do.

Then I read of the psalmist's activity, or desired activity, when he's in God's constant presence: to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. I have a clear idea that I will not need to seek for God when I am truly in His temple. My spirit rises within me as I think of the glory of God filling the temple, filling it to the point of almost overflowing it. Indeed, if this were on earth, God's glory would surely overflow the temple, for the wonder of heaven could not be contained in an earthly abode.

God can transport me into His presence. There I may gaze on His beauty. Surely He must be the most beautiful being of all imagination. I don't think that I have previously considered 'the beauty of God' in any concentrated manner. My human imagination can only take me so far. God can take me further!

Beautiful God,

I gasp to think how beautiful You must be. I can't really imagine the glory of Your presence and the effect it might have. But I can hope, and I can pray. I recall the chorus: Show me Your glory, let Your presence pass by me. Lord, may I see something of Your beauty today? Would You bring sweet revelation to me? I ask this in Jesus' wonderful name.      Amen.