Beauty Is Absolutely Essential

[John]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beauty Is Absolutely Essential
08/09/2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I just let out a deep sigh. That we even need to explain how beauty is so absolutely essential to God only shows how dull we have grown to him, to the world in which we live, and to Eve. Far too many years of our own spiritual lives were lived with barely a nod to beauty, to the central role that beauty plays in the life of God, and in our own lives. How could we have missed this?

Beauty is essential to God. No—that’s not putting it strongly enough. Beauty is the essence of God.

The first way we know this is through nature, the world God has given us. Scripture says that the created world is filled with the glory of God (Isa. 6:3). In what way? Primarily through its beauty. We had a wet spring here in Colorado, and the wildflowers are coming up everywhere—lupine and wild iris and Shasta daisy and a dozen others. The aspens have their heart-shaped leaves again, trembling in the slightest breeze. Massive thunderclouds are rolling in, bringing with them the glorious sunsets they magnify. The earth in summer is brimming with beauty, beauty of such magnificence and variety and unembarrassed lavishness, ripe beauty, lush beauty, beauty given to us with such generosity and abundance it is almost scandalous.

Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Stop for a moment and let that sink in. We’re so used to evaluating everything (and everyone) by their usefulness, this thought will take a minute or two to dawn on us. Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Which is to say, beauty is in and of itself a great and glorious good, something we need in large and daily doses (for our God has seen fit to arrange for this). Nature at the height of its glory shouts, Beauty is essential! revealing that Beauty is the essence of God. The whole world is full of his glory.

(Captivating , 23–24)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 221
Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

[misty]

Thats so true, John! I do look at the beauty & one of the reasons I love living in PA is that we get all 4 seasons. Every season has beauty--In summer theres the full trees & flowers, in fall theres the multi colored leaves, in winter I enjoy the icicles & sparkly white snow & in spring theres new buds & daffodils.

[John]

:-/The Four Seasons we have in Cleveland are:

Spring
Almost Summer
Winter
Still Winter

[misty]

john said:

:-/The Four Seasons we have in Cleveland are:

Spring
Almost Summer
Winter
Still Winter

Thats funny! I'm not so far from you & here we have:

Spring
Unbearably hot
Indian summer

and last but not least,

Its cold but wheres the snow!

[jj]

You guys are cracking me up!

But that article is important. I think a lot of people don't see the amazing beauty around us. I'm not one of them as I have always been one to admire God's handyworks. Not just the outward appearance but how his creations work and reproduce and all the stages of growth and the unique difference between species.
I've always wonder how anyone cannot believe in God. All you have to do is really look and learn about one living thing-how it reproduces. Like a seed....a seed is lifeless. You can sit it on a shelf and it will do nothing for years and years. Put it in some dirt and water it and it springs to life.

I have some odd species of clematis. They produce gazillions of perfect little flowers with four petal each. I have looked and looked for one that has maybe 5 petals and never found one. I'm sure there might be a odd one somewhere but just that alone just amazes me.