The Beauty of Holiness

In reading the Bible this week I came across this phrase, “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”  Ps 29:2  It got me thinking about the connection between beauty and holiness.

We live in a Beauty-obsessed culture

• fake hair color
• botox
• fake nails

Superfoods courtesy Dr. Rebecca

We also like things that are exotic, rare and unusual.  Just look at what people are eating now — super foods…which are?  Food labeled as exotic, rare or unusual.

But what about NATURAL physical beauty

it doesn’t take a lot of effort to be natural

clear skin

shiny hair

healthy body

  “The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the grey head.” (Proverbs 20:29)

Both pale skin and dark skin are naturally beautiful where artificially tanned skin is…well…fake.  Grey hair is beautiful in it’s season just like winter is beautiful.

Spirituality is a natural form of beauty

• It isn’t easily faked but it is used sometimes to describe  agnostics.
• It is apparent in a person’s smile when it lights up the eyes.
• It is faith expressed in manner and persona.
• It shows up in people of every culture and religion.

Jesus talked about the fake spirituality of the Pharisees when he said, “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”  (Matt 23:28) People have all kinds of reasons for faking it.  Acceptance/rejection would rank pretty high on the list of reasons I think.

The beauty of holiness is natural beauty magnified.

“Holiness is the strength of the soul. It comes by faith and through obedience to God’s laws and ordinances. God then purifies the heart by faith, and the heart becomes purged from that which is profane and unworthy. When holiness is achieved by conforming to God’s will, one knows intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the Lord.” (James E Faust)

• Holiness is a feeling that surrounds sacred things.
• It can be felt in the home for the home as a haven for families is a sacred place.
• It is a reflection of cleanliness and dedication to God.
• This kind of beauty touches my soul in a powerful way.

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness seems to inspire an attitude of deep reverence and clean conscience.  

Anything less is mockery.

Question:  What kind of beauty is important to you?