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Worship…
Have you noticed that worship cannot be achieved through a formula or a method? Are you discovering that a worshiping life is about Who God is and what He has to say? It is about drawing close, entering in so we can enjoy God, hear His words to us, and be transformed by His presence.
We learn to live a balance of seeking with our whole heart longing for God without stepping over into a legalistic, wrist-slapping earn-it mentality. This is a delicate balance between thirsting for God’s presence rather than working for God’s approval. It is that invisible place of acceptance where we simply desire to know God with a heart wide-open, order ready to receive and ready to worship. Today we are going to let creation open our hearts to worship God.
What Do You See? Who Do You See?
One morning I am canoeing in the fog, air crisp-cool. Mist floats on the water. Beauty surrounds me and peace covers my soul like a warm blanket. The Spirit moves and I wonder why is it easier to “feel” worshipful when I see beauty?
Earthly beauty is a reflection, here a tiny taste of God’s glory. We see and hear in tangible ways through what He has created.. It is an experiential seeing and listening, and our heart worships, we appreciate the wonder of God, Creator King. It helps us look beyond the hurry-scurry tasks of today, past the problems and questions that often plague us.
We experience more of God through what He has made. We lose ourselves in the grandeur of God. We are blessed. Refreshed. We have before our appreciating eyes, testimony—evidence—of the creative power and infinite variety of God. Built within our hearts is this capacity to recognize God’s existence in the majesty of what He has created.
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”–Romans 1:20
The beauty of nature: The Revelation of God.
“…Nature is not God but God revealing the weight of Himself, all His glory through the looking glass of nature.”—Ann Voskamp
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.”—Psalm 19:1-3
Yes, there is great purpose and meaning in beauty.
Beauty whispers to our too-often-stifled desire to worship–it dovetails with purpose and calling–we were made to worship. Worship includes beauty—in many ways, beauty is a call to worship and pulls forth a God-hungry response in our soul.
“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.”–Psalm 27
Worship Tip:
Appreciating God’s creation nourishes faith and worship.
Our generous, gift-giving God has love-crafted us with five senses with which we can enjoy beauty, drink it in through hearts hungry for more of God.
“Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.
Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.
Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.
Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?”—Psalm 34: 8-12 The Message
Ann Voskamp writes, “And whether I am conscious of it or not; any created thing of which I am amazed it is the glimpse of His face to which I bow down. Do I have eyes to see Him and not the thing?” 1000 Gifts, p. 112
Today’s Worship Challenge:
Enjoy beauty today.
Take delight in God’s beauty revealed all around you.
Breathe deep, letting delight spark deep appreciation for the beauty of God.
Let all things beautiful open the eyes of your soul to God’s goodness…and worship.
If you have time today, continue your worship as you listen to these songs that rejoice in the beauty God has made.
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So glad you're here. I help busy women—gals like you— build healthy habits for living well with biblical wisdom and practical steps to deepen your faith, increase your hope, and thrive in your purpose.
I really, really like John Rutter’s song, ” For the beauty of the earth”. Thankyou for including it here, Ginger.
Also, Keat’s famous lines from “Ode to Grecian Urn” (one of my very favourite poems) comes to mind again here. “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.”
Thanks for the Keat’s line–love it! When I sang a lot of choral music in college, John Rutter was one of my favorites. With the popularity of contemporary music in worship, which I love, it is easy for many to lose an appreciation for the wealth of wonderful worship music through the ages. We really miss out when we pidgeon-hole our worship to one style of music, though we will always have our favorites:)
Thanks for this encouragement to worship, Ginger. It reminds me of something St. Augustine wrote in Confessions that has always struck a chord in my heart:
“And I said to all these things in my external environment, ‘Tell me of my God who you are not, tell me something about Him.’ And with a great voice they cried out: ‘He made us.’ My question was the attention I gave to them, and their response was their beauty.”
P.S. Creator King—my all time favorite song! Thanks 🙂
Mindy Manuel turned me onto this song:) I love it too!