One thing have I desired of God, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of YHWH all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of God, and to inquire in his temple.1
As His creation is beautiful, so is God. One could dwell in his house every day and still be in awe of his beauty. His beauty is eternal, we will spend eternity beholding it. When we think that we are to make God known to others it should be about displaying his beauty, this is to live out his image. Christianity today is to put forth that image. Jesus said we are to be a light and seasoning to the world. People should not see the message of Christianity as what we do not, but it his glory his beauty they should behold, his beauty in us. While we pat our bellies, saying we are prosperous and blessed, the world is desperately in need of hope and beauty. The culture of Christianity has became one that people see as ugly, but it is beautiful, of hope, it is an attractive light in darkness for those who are seeking.
When did God's message ever become about proclaiming the bad news? you sinners! We condemn when God himself came not to condemn the world but to save. We come up with clever ways that condemn people in the name of love. I love you but attack, condemn, accuse. We not only attack the lost we attack each other, we are the worlds worst critics. Jesus pointed out this hypocrisy in the religious leaders of his day. He said the world would know he was from God by our unity. Maybe we are so worried that we might be deceived that we become such critics, whatever the reason we do not put forth God's beauty, the good news, this to me is the ultimate deception. What is more attractive, beauty or ugliness? babies know the answer. Yet we portray the good news, as bad news. Well you say I have to speak the truth. Yes and the truth is the world sees you as hypocritical, self-righteous, and judgmental most likely because you are. The truth is repentance starts in the house of God. It is the beauty of God that leads to repentance.
Paul spends several years establishing a church in Ephesus. The church grows so much that the makers of shrines, of the goddess Diana, start losing money. These craftsmen get together and start a riot against the followers of the Way. A city official intervenes, quiets the crowd by saying these men of the Way are not robbers of the temple nor blasphemer of Diana. Such was true as no one disputed it, so the crowd disperses.3 Now if these people of the Way would have been modern day evangelists the crowd would not have dispersed, because most of these would have been guilty of attacking and condemning the people for their worship of idols. Here is a powerful message of early Christianity, they did not attack the people, No, they proclaimed the gospel, the good news, the beauty of God, and many chose to worship God.
There is a time for every season. God's way of presenting his message changes throughout the centuries, as our understanding and knowledge of him grows. Is not this his desire? The foundation is always the same; people always need hope and love, such in Christ is always good news. God wants us to grow in wisdom and understanding of him, we will spend eternity doing this, his beauty is always being revealed to us. I believe it is wrong to focus on the message of the past for the message of today. Today is the day of salvation. Read his word today, His words are active and living. It is said we are moving from a technology age into a relationship age, this can be seen in how people are connecting through social media. What an opportunity for Christianity! Maybe it is time for a new approach, a new old one. We should be all about relationships, so that people may gaze upon his children and be amazed at the beauty of God.
Beautiful Things
When did God's message ever become about proclaiming the bad news? you sinners! We condemn when God himself came not to condemn the world but to save. We come up with clever ways that condemn people in the name of love. I love you but attack, condemn, accuse. We not only attack the lost we attack each other, we are the worlds worst critics. Jesus pointed out this hypocrisy in the religious leaders of his day. He said the world would know he was from God by our unity. Maybe we are so worried that we might be deceived that we become such critics, whatever the reason we do not put forth God's beauty, the good news, this to me is the ultimate deception. What is more attractive, beauty or ugliness? babies know the answer. Yet we portray the good news, as bad news. Well you say I have to speak the truth. Yes and the truth is the world sees you as hypocritical, self-righteous, and judgmental most likely because you are. The truth is repentance starts in the house of God. It is the beauty of God that leads to repentance.
Paul spends several years establishing a church in Ephesus. The church grows so much that the makers of shrines, of the goddess Diana, start losing money. These craftsmen get together and start a riot against the followers of the Way. A city official intervenes, quiets the crowd by saying these men of the Way are not robbers of the temple nor blasphemer of Diana. Such was true as no one disputed it, so the crowd disperses.3 Now if these people of the Way would have been modern day evangelists the crowd would not have dispersed, because most of these would have been guilty of attacking and condemning the people for their worship of idols. Here is a powerful message of early Christianity, they did not attack the people, No, they proclaimed the gospel, the good news, the beauty of God, and many chose to worship God.
There is a time for every season. God's way of presenting his message changes throughout the centuries, as our understanding and knowledge of him grows. Is not this his desire? The foundation is always the same; people always need hope and love, such in Christ is always good news. God wants us to grow in wisdom and understanding of him, we will spend eternity doing this, his beauty is always being revealed to us. I believe it is wrong to focus on the message of the past for the message of today. Today is the day of salvation. Read his word today, His words are active and living. It is said we are moving from a technology age into a relationship age, this can be seen in how people are connecting through social media. What an opportunity for Christianity! Maybe it is time for a new approach, a new old one. We should be all about relationships, so that people may gaze upon his children and be amazed at the beauty of God.
Beautiful Things