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Beautiful to God
Have you ever wondered what is beautiful to God?
The word itself occurs only nineteen times in the King
James Old Testament (Genesis 29:17,
Deuteronomy 21:11, etc.).
Beautiful is recorded, however, only four times in the New
Testament (Matthew 23:27, Acts
3:2, 10, Romans 10:15).
If
we define as beautiful things observable by the senses, then God would likely
view a sunrise or sunset he created as such.
The
music of an angelic choir, a green forest, or a well-kept garden might also
solicit such an evaluation from the Eternal as well.
Beauty,
however, goes far deeper with Him than that.
The
prophet Samuel learned a valuable lesson about what is beautiful to God.
He thought David's brother had the looks to be Israel's next
king. The Lord, however, told him, "Do
not look on his face . . . for man looks on the outward appearance, but the
Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel
16:7, HBFV throughout).
Because
David's attitude and heart was beautiful he was specially chosen to be the
human king of the Israelites (1 Samuel 13:14,
Acts 13:22).
Anyone
striving to obey their heavenly Father and keep His commandments (Exodus 20:3-17, Deuteronomy 5:7-21) are beautiful to Him.
Imagine
His pleasure with anyone who worships him and Him alone, who keeps His name
pure and holy, and who joyfully observes His holy Sabbath and annual feast days.
How
wonderful it must be for him to see a person who truly honors his parents in
everything he does!
In
the book of Psalms, we learn much about praise.
David
proclaimed he would praise the Lord (Psalm
7:17) even in the midst of many other people (Psalm 22:22).
He
stated he would rejoice over him seven times a day (Psalm 119:164), as
long as he lived (Psalm 104:33), with his whole heart (Psalm
9:1), and with singing (Psalm 61:8) and dancing (Psalm 150:4).
All
this rejoicing must be increasing pleasing to our heavenly Father!
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Diligently study to show yourself approved unto God" (2 Timothy 2:15).
Study
requires an enquiring mind, so it must be beautiful to Him to find someone who
searches the scriptures to find the truth, then commits himself to it.
Faithfulness
must also generate this response from the Eternal.
What
must he have felt when he heard Ruth declare her beautiful and pure love for
Naomi with her wonderful poem (Ruth 1:16-17)!
The
Good News Bible tells us, "Children
are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing" (Psalm 127:3).
Jesus
recognized this when children were brought to Him so He could lay his hands on
them and pray for them (Matthew 19:13-15).
How
beautiful it must be to the Eternal to see parents teaching their children the
right way of life (Proverbs 22:6).
Those who are forgiving (Matthew 6:14),
possess a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18), live a life of are loving and giving (Matthew 5:42, 44) and
all those who possesses a repentant mind (Job
42:5-6) are beautiful to God.
It
must be especially wonderful when someone repents, and changes from the old
ways to the ways of the Creator when the truth is revealed.
One of the greatest miracles in the
early New Testament church occurred in Jerusalem’s temple at a gate called
Beautiful (Acts 3:2).
The
gate, which faced the rising sun, was deemed to be magnificent because it was
made of Corinthian brass and was adorned with thick plates of silver and gold.
One
day the gate fulfilled its name to the full when Peter and John, through the
power of God, healed a lame man and had a chance to preach about Christ (Acts 3:9-26).
The only other early church reference
to beautiful, not found in the book of Acts, is in Romans 10. It is here that
we discover one of the greatest things that the heart of God delights in.
Paul writes, "How
beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of peace, and those who
announce the good news of good things!" (Romans
10:15, HBFV).
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