The Gift of Beauty

The Gift of Beauty

 
Praise the LORD, for another sunny day, pleasant weather and a beautiful countryside: rich, warm sunshine streaming over the hills, casting long, deep shadows from the trees and buildings, bringing out every dip and rise in the land.
 
The trees are silver with dew, the river is clothed in shimmering wreathes of fog, flowers are peeking out from bushes, gardens and graveyards, the birds are joyfully flitting about and singing in the new day’s light.
 
You, O Lord God, are a lover of beauty, and are so gracious to share this visual feast with us, a breakfast for the eyes, a refreshment to the soul.
 
I praise you for your marvelous creativity, making all so practical and yet so beautiful. You could have made everything black and white, ugly and efficient—but you have chosen to clothe usefulness in gracefulness, practicality in loveliness. You cover fruit trees with fragrant and colorful blossoms; you make water sparkling and pure; you give the hills and trees many shades of green.
 
Praise you that you do the same in our lives, making food festive, procreation pleasurable, worship wonderful.
 
You are yourself beautiful, O Lord.
You are lovely in goodness, graciousness, gloriousness and greatness.
You are righteous, pure, positive and just.
You are kind, compassionate, ready to forgive and long suffering.
You are present, protecting, seeing and caring.
You uphold all who are bowed down.
You deliver from the oppressor.
You heal the broken-hearted.
You guide the lost.
 
You are the God of only goodness,
The God of eternity,
The God of salvation,
The God of faithfulness.
 
Therefore, you are worthy of worship, praise, glory and honor. I bow before you now in awe, praising you in gratefulness; I rise up in your joy to exalt you in thankfulness and obedience.
 
May you be glorified today in my thoughts and actions, words and reactions, O great and mighty, lovely and lavish Lord Jesus!