When was the last time you lingered in silence simply to delight in the beauty of God? One Christian artist thinks that “beholding” His beauty is essential in a Christian’s life. Writer Joseph Sunde, in a blog post titled “Beauty on a Bike Ride,” quoted artist Mako Fujimura as saying: “Perhaps the greatest thing we can do as a Christian community is to behold. Behold our God. Behold His creation.”
What a simple but profound statement. Yet Fujimura is only rehearsing what the Holy Spirit inspired David to write in Psalm 27 many years ago.
David declared that God’s light and salvation can dispel our fears: “Why should I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). He prayed for constant fellowship with Him (Psalm 27:4). The main goal of the psalmist’s life was to seek God and delight in Him morning by morning, enjoying a close and intimate relationship. He wanted to remain in the temple, the place of the Lord’s presence, to enjoy, delight in, and meditate on the beauty of His perfections as he sought His will. Spending time with God was the one priority David wouldn’t negotiate. It helped him experience His presence and protection (Psalm 27:5).
David’s joy in seeking and delighting in God in the temple foreshadowed our joy of knowing Him through Jesus (John 15:11, 17:3). Our Savior, through His sacrifice on the cross, opened the way into heaven where believers who have gone to be with Him behold His beauty (Hebrews 10:19-20). He’s opened the way for us to seek and delight in God, so let’s enter into the presence of our resurrected Lord with sincere hearts fully trusting Him (Hebrews 10:22).
And when we enter into His presence, we find a place of beauty and a place of joy—a place to linger in delight!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Samuel 24:1-22
More:
Read Psalm 63:2 and consider the attributes of God the psalmist gazed upon.
Next:
How are you beholding and seeking God? What prevents you from slowing down to truly gaze upon His beauty?
Gary Shultz on March 31, 2016 at 6:15 am
Marvin, there is something profoundly enriching in seeing God’s hand in nature. As Roman’s tells us it is a witness to all men of God’s work. As you probably know all to well, by no intentional plan, people and life can slide over your whole day and wipe out most of what may have been planned. Jesus was a master at meeting needs and meeting the Father. We can’t always be in pleasant surroundings, but as you elude to, Jesus ripped the curtain open so we could bring our spirit to be with His Spirit and have that unexplainable deeply rich time with Him. It was what Christ prayed for, it was what was intended from creation itself. This must be one of the greatest experiences we will have this side of heaven, to be in God’s presence. Thank you for double duty today.
samgaskill on March 31, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Blessed by the mention that Jesus ripped the curtain open so we would not be separated from Him. For reasons I have never understood; I feel less encumbered by the world when I can just sit and “be wholly present” with my Lord. It is such an amazing experience. I crave it continually even when I know I have continuous fellowship with God at any time and in any place in my day. There is a bench not far from my home in a park you can hike to called “lost lake”. This was my first pondering bench. I’ve sat in many more but this is my favorite. It is really a large marshy pond surrounded by trees. Not much I suppose if compared to other places; but to me it is the most still, serene place I have ever found to just “be”. What an amazing gift we have to be with Him and enjoy such a rich time. No words to describe adequately; but I will enjoy my next visit to the pondering bench with the image of the “torn veil” in my mind. What love is that! Thank-you.
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 12:50 pm
I understand your need for serenity!! It’s amazing how much we feel closer to God in serene places!! His wholly presence living in me is what I cherish!
samgaskill on March 31, 2016 at 1:25 pm
For sure!! “Living in Me” is what I desire. Hope you get all the serenity time you need to be filled with His presence Sandy! I think of how often Jesus had need to get away and pray to His Father. We are surely in need of that time as well. Blessings on your day: )
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Thank you and be blessed!
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 2:04 pm
I meant to say His Holy presence living me, I think I spelled that wrong.
gagirllive on March 31, 2016 at 8:04 am
One of my favorite psalms, Marvin. Beholding Him is a very important part of having an intimate relationship with Him, isn’t it? How can we truly give our heart to the One who has not captured us with the beauty of His person? And why do we so often fail to see His beauty? I think, in part at least, the answer may lie in the Beatitudes that we talked about a few days ago. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Maybe repentance is needed. Unconfessed sin will surely obscure our line of vision. But if that is not the case, I suppose it’s just a matter of taking (and making) the time to be still in His presence–having that one singleness of heart and mind to turn our eyes upon Him. Also, He has left the witness of Himself not only in us but around us. That’s why we can have “Beauty on a Bike Ride”. All nature testifies of Him…the whole earth is truly full of His glory! He is beautiful in every season–in nature and in my life. Thanks, Marvin, for this inspiring post today.
godlove on March 31, 2016 at 9:33 am
In this fast-paced world, I think it is actually a blessing to have the opportunity to set aside time to seek GOD and behold His beauty… to make time just to sit in awe of His Power and His Glory. I have to do it more often. Thanks very much for this reminder Marvin.
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 10:35 am
Yes, it is good to made time just to sit in awe of His Power and Glory and beauty!
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 10:34 am
I’m thinking about the song, “I will enter His gates with Thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter His courts with Praise, I will say this is the day the Lord hath made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad! He in deed has made me glad, so I will rejoice forever more. I have so much to be thankful for and I know what God wants most from us is to seek an intimate relationship with Him. He created us for His purpose so I will continue to seek a meaningful relationship with Him. Without Him I am nothing! I am looking forward to this weekend when I can be so close to all of His creation in awe of everything He made. I always loved going to the mountains where I always felt closer to Him, but still I know His creation is everywhere, not just in the mountains. Every where I look, I see His beauty. This is the day the Lord hath made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad!! Blessings to everyone on this forum!!
gagirllive on March 31, 2016 at 12:01 pm
Sandy, have a wonderful time on your retreat this weekend! I pray that the Lord will meet you in a special way and that you will behold His beauty in an even greater measure!
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 12:49 pm
Thank you 🙂
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 11:05 am
Thank you Marvin for your insight and inspiration on both ODB and ODJ. You truly are inspiring, as Gary said, in your double duty!! Be Blessed!!
jim spillane on March 31, 2016 at 12:04 pm
I’m sure that many of us have heard the phrase “we believe by faith, not by sight,” but every time I behold the beauty of nature, I think that it helps to confirm my faith. I live out in the countryside and this time of year, as everything begins to grow and bloom, is quite an incredible sight. And often, when I behold a beautiful sunset I’m filled with awe, I often wonder how one see all these things and not believe. God’s blessings to you all.
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 12:53 pm
I love the sunset when God paints the sky and you see His footprints all around!! I have probably taken over a hundred pictures of the sunset. A few of the sunrise also.
gagirllive on March 31, 2016 at 1:51 pm
Yes, Jim….I wonder, too. I keep humming “This is my Father’s world…He shines in all that’s fair; in the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. ” He is beautiful.
sandy229 on March 31, 2016 at 2:05 pm
I have to say, I love that song!!