December 2, 2011
“Don’t Miss the Beautiful”
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2a, NIV).
Friend to Friend
I recently went on a trip to minister in Tennessee at a women’s event and, to my delight, my daughter Kennedy was able to join me. The two of us are all about “mommy-daughter time” so we were giddy with happy as we started off on the three and a half hour drive.
Prior to the trip, I had given Kennedy permission to use my iPad to watch a movie. So once we hit the highway, she got cozy with her pillow, her headphones went on, and her attention became fixed on the rectangular screen in front of her. Random giggles floated in the air from the movie-watcher as I drove and prayed through the talk that I was to give later that afternoon.
Just off the Northern parts of the Carolina highway – past the congestion of traffic and the hullaballoo of the suburbs – I was freshly smitten by the splendor of God through traces of red, yellow, orange, and brown leaves that were dancing in the breeze under brilliant blue skies. The trees continued to boast of more and more glory as I neared Virginia… and then they were joined by the mountains. Oh, the mountains! They puffed their chests with the majesty of color and power! My heart was captured by the glory of it all, so I tapped Kennedy and pointed out the window, encouraging her to look around… to lift her eyes and soak in the wonder.
“Don’t miss the beautiful!” I urged.
“Don’t miss the beautiful!”
She paused her movie and joined the beauty moment, agreeing that God was indeed showing off with His creation. Minutes later, she went back to watching her movie as I drove on undone. Wrung out by glory. Overwhelmed by the sacred sanctuary I’d stumbled upon. I stayed in the moment and celebrated the beautiful as the psalmist did in Psalm 96:
1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
12 let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
13 they will sing before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his truth.
Worship poured from my heart. I thanked God for the beauty show. As praise and adoration continued to rise a God-thought settled on my heart. “Tell them, Gwen.”
“Tell them what, Lord?” I wondered.
“Tell the women what you told Kennedy. Tell them not to miss the beautiful.”
Ahhhh, yes! I would tell them, and I would chew on that challenge for days to come. Convicted by questions like: How often do I drive right through the busyness of my days and miss the beautiful? How many moments of glory do I not even see because my eyes are on the mundane? Do I even look for it?
As we head into this busy holiday season and dance between the days of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years - as we decorate the doors and the hearths of our homes and communities, let’s be intentional to decorate the doors and the hearths of our hearts with ribbons of God’s grace. Let’s live with eyes lifted to the Gift of gifts, Jesus Christ.
When we face the stresses of our lists, and our tasks, and our activities, and our heart burdens, let’s commit to remembering that the best present is His presence. He’s our Hope, our Peace, our Joy… our Beautiful.
Don’t miss the beautiful.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, You are glorious and worthy of all praise! Please help me to fix my eyes on You each day so I can walk in your hope, peace, joy and beauty.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Additional Scripture reading: Colossians 3:1-17
Have you paused to spend time with God one-on-one yet today? This week? Prioritize prayer. Spend time in personal worship. Just you and Him. Then click to my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic) and allow the songs that I’ve posted today lead you in further adoration and praise!
More from the Girlfriends
Friend, don’t be discouraged if your calendar seems off-the-charts crazy. I know what that’s like. Let’s choose the best together and clear a space every day to sit and worship at the feet of Jesus. Uncluttered is a CD filled with songs that sweep you away from excess ‘life-noise’, this music focuses your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. Order your copy today from iTunesor from www.GwenSmith.net.
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Girlfriends in God
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
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Originally published Friday, 02 December 2011.
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