Witness my bag of flesh.
God in His Holy Wisdom has granted me a tent.
Is it beauty, as the world counts beauty?
The world doesn’t perceive what lay within.
You cannot see the Spirit of God.
Tag Archives: Beauty
Greedy Salvation
Ornament (Photo credit: Thom Watson)
A man held a fragile glass ornament in his hands. The glow from it filled the man and prompted him, beyond his own ability, to proclaim all its beauty. As the man walked through the market place he was witnessed by all for his words spoke of a beauty beyond the people’s perception. The way he spoke roused their hearts. And many were desirous to own what he spoke of. Soon some of the people had found a similar orb of fragile glass. And they too spoke of the beauties it provoked them to witness.
Then one of the people approached the first man and said to him, “Give me that ornament.” “I cannot give it to you” said the owner. “Then I will rip it from your hands! For I perceive that it is to be desired.” At that the man took the ornament from the owner and held it in his own hands.
His eyes grew wide. His face became as one who had tasted an entire handful of dill. His body convulsed at the impact from the orb. And quickly he gave it back to the owner. “This is a LIE!” He said with lungs full of the air he had sucked at his convulsion. “This man speaks lies!” He began to turn to the people to proclaim what he perceived to be the truth. But out of the corner of his eye he witnessed the reaction of the man as he took back what was his.
A glow of warm peace enveloped him. A beaming smile of love covered that man’s face. And he began again to speak softly of the loving embrace he had from ownership of this ornament. This stopped the greedy man. He turned once again to the owner. And with a slightly different voice said, “Give me that orb.”
At the second and softer request, the owner gave the orb willingly. The greedy man took it once again. This time there was a distaste upon the greedy man. But it was less intense. For he understood that he had not understood. And now he was willing to endure what came. If only he might also have what the owner possessed.
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He has granted sin to flourish in this Place of Testing. By His wisdom He has created this place to test His own power to heal. His Glory abounds among the men of sin. And Healing is in His hand. By jealousy He has caused many to fall before Him and confess. By pride of man He has transformed many to be His children.
How great is the wisdom of He who lives forever! That He should create this among us. And how beautiful, beauty beyond words, is the Living God in Christ Jesus His Holy Son! That we who have tasted that He is good, should be used to entice the greedy by their very greedy ways. All praise to He who Heals eternally. He has done this! And it will be our lot to praise Him for His Beauty forever!
Amen!
A Memory of Gentle Beauty
Hummingbird Nest 2 (Photo credit: Robin Miller Photography – westcoastrobin)
For a short while we managed an apartment complex. One day we were cleaning out an apartment and I happened to be in a bedroom. I noticed something in the corner of the window. As I approached it became clear it was a humming-bird. It had flown in and hid behind the curtain while we were cleaning. I reached out my hands and, very gently, picked it up. I took 2 seconds of the little bird’s life to hold it in the palm of my hand. Then I released it through the open window.
What a marvelous world the Lord has made. How beautiful it is when it is not corrupted by the things of man. How very delicate and precious is this creation of His. And it makes me wonder how it will be in that place He is building even right now.
My LOVE! How Sweet You Are!
Image via Wikipedia
I present you words here. That is all I can do. And what shall I say which will describe the beauty of my Lovely God?
He is as a very light breeze which caresses my face. Almost imperceptible to my senses, yet powerful enough to touch me, pass by, and caress a tree a hundred yards away. And to my amazement, this same breeze which He allowed me to perceive has come from somewhere. And it did not appear to me void of having touched others. His beauty is a gentle breeze to those whom He loves. Yet it is a hurricane to His enemies.
His blazing light of Righteousness and judgment are welcome guests in this tent of flesh He has endowed with understanding. And to say “guests” is less than appropriate. For He is the owner of what He has made. And even now I see that it is I who am become the guest in my own flesh. It is I who sits down to the mean prepared by He who has come to live in my house. This servitude is most amazing. For He feeds the wicked in the temple of His building.
Words. Unholy words from he who is redeemed. These are my lot. Yet, don’t these words ring in your mind? Can you read what I write? When a man of God was brought to the Throne of He who Lives forever, that man spoke what is true; “Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips. And I dwell among a people of unclean lips!” This was said by a servant of the Most High God. What shall be the words of those who remain in darkness?
Words. How beautiful they can be if they strive to portray the beauty of my Love. Yet how absolutely unable to paint the picture He shows to His people. Who shall be proud of their words? Who can stand in the Great Assembly and proclaim with their lips of man the Glory of God? And who has ears to hear the beauty spoken?
By His Grace.
It’s Good to be Ugly!
Image via Wikipedia
Everywhere we look we are smothered with “good-looking” people smiling because they apparently like what they’re being paid to advertise. To the eye, they appear very happy with themselves. And why not? They’ve been painted up, curled, dressed, and slimed down to present the “perfect” picture of humanity.
It would be useless to try to mention all the places where the “perfect” appear. They’re everywhere (evidently). But what if you’re one of those who can be easily recognized as one of the “ugly”? What if your nose is too big? What if one shoulder is higher than the other? What if your ears stick out too far (often peaking through the hair you grew long just to cover them up). What if you don’t have that quality vision to choose colors that match (let alone the sock problem)? What if you’re not tiny, slim, fragrant, delicately and whispily graceful? I’d say that if you’re one of the “ugly”, you’re one of the fortunate masses.
Those who have what it takes to be admired in this world are far less likely to recognize their failings. That’s why many good-looking people end up on drugs or killing themselves in their high-priced houses. They thought they were enough to please the world. They thought they would just skate through life unscathed by the hatred that permeates this society. But the “ugly” know better.
Oh, I don’t deny that the “ugly” can suffer right along with the “perfect” ones. The “ugly” can fall victim to their own expectations of acceptance. But, all in all, those who have an obvious lack perfection are far more likely to avoid the pitfalls of self-importance which attack those other folk.
And while this is true in this world, there is an ugly that remains before the face of every man and woman who has ever lived. I doubt I need to point out what this is. Just take a look at the rest of my blog and you’ll quickly understand what I’m getting at.
By His Grace.
Words From There 