Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Joining God in Beauty

When God created the world he created it with care. He created it in stages. He created it with words.

As he pieced the world together from nothing, he regularly took a moment to look at what he created. When his eyes crossed the world that began in his imagination, there was only one phrase that flowed from his heart: "It is good."
I like to imagine God nearly giggling with excitement as he creates. Every once in a while he stops, looks back over the world, and mutters "yeah, yeah that's good. Haha! That's good!" Then he keeps going.

God created a world full of wonder and beauty. He created expansive plains where life could grow. He invented mountains so mighty that they inflict the significance and vastness of the world on every beholder. He created seas deep to the point that few can understand what is held beneath them.

He finished his work by creating us. Humans. We were the only ones who got an extra adjective. When God created humanity he looked, once again, over creation, and said "now that is very good." There are many reasons why God would think the addition of humanity really puts the world over the top, but I have to believe that one of those reasons is that we can enjoy his creation.

The infinite being who formed the earth created something that could experience his work, share his joy, and benefit from his creativity.

Beauty is close to the heart of God. He is a wonderful artist.

As participants in God's redemption of the earth, beauty is one of the ways that we join his work. Whether it is picking up trash on trail outside of town, expressing ourselves through art or music, helping a hurting person see the beauty in himself, or simply appreciating a sunset over lake Michigan's shore, when we participate in beauty we participate with God.

Let us, as followers of Jesus, make the world a more beautiful place in whatever way we can reach it.



No comments:

Post a Comment