November 2009

HE IS BEAUTIFUL

Psalm 27 says:
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

Iworship@home DVD 1 Track 14 – God of Wonders

Not only is God beautiful, He showers down on us beautiful gifts. Sometimes He gives us beautiful people, those who are beautiful on the inside. He gives us beautiful moments in our lives and sometimes there are beautiful places that are really special to us.

Piano Music: Julia Bradley – Song for Mike
(while think of the beautiful things God has given to us)
 
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

And not only is God beautiful, but He has put His beauty in you too.

Ecclesiastes 3v11 says: He has made everything beautiful in its time.

The Cocoon:
Along a dusty road in India there sat a beggar who sold cocoons. A young boy weatched him day after day, and the beggar finally beckoned to him. “Do you know what beauty lies within this chrysalis? I will give you one so you might see for yourself. But you must be careful not to handle the cocoon until the butterfly comes out.” The boy was enchanted with the gift and hurried home to await the butterfly. He laid the cocoon on the floor and became aware of a curious thing. The butterfly was beating its fragile wings against the hard wall of the chrysalis until it appeared it would surely perish before it could break the unyielding prison. Wanting only to help, the boy swiftly pried the cocoon open. Out flopped a wet, brown ugly thing which quickly died. When the beggar discovered what had happened, he explained to the boy “In order for the butterfly wings to grow strong enough to support him, it is necessary that he beat them agains the walls of his cocoon. Only by this struggle can his wings become beautiful and durable. When you denied him that struggle, you took away from him his only chance of survival. May the walls of your cocoon be just thick enough to allow you to struggle just long enough to emerge the beautiful person I already know you to be.

You see God can also bring something beautiful out of whatever has happened or is happening in your life

In 2 Corinthians 4 (The Message), Paul writes,
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken.

And I am sure many of you can identify with those feelings in some way. I know sometimes it seems impossible to say those verses and really believe them in our hearts. I know there are times when I can’t find God or see His face, there are times when it feels like I’ve used up all my faith and I can barely flutter let alone break down a the wall of my cocoon.

As you go through today, take the opportunity to allow God to speak something beautiful into your life and your circumstances.

Take the opportunity to reflect on what God wants to say into your everyday life.

DO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

But do you know, when we recognise God’s beauty and when we realise the beauty He has placed within us, there comes a responsibility. We are called to love our beautiful God but we are also called to love our neighbour.

Isaiah 52 v7 says
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, Your God reigns!

If you know anything about Activate Your Life, you will know that we are deeply passionate about reaching women for Jesus in a way that is modern and relevant to their current needs. Our aims are two-fold. The first being to resource and inspire Christian women to get out into their communities. The other being to free up women to discover who they really are and what God can do through our unique identities.

If we know Jesus we have news that can’t be hidden. The life of Jesus in us needs to work through our hands and our feet.

We must go and do something beautiful.

As we work out what beautiful things God has placed within us, we need to discover what He would have us do for Him. You are unique. Whatever you’ve been through, however long you feel you’ve been flapping at that cocoon, God wants to use the beauty in you to touch other people.

Go and do something Jesus would.
Do something beautiful!

“The life that you’ve been living, the days that you’ve been given
Were made for something beautiful
Life – don’t let it pass you by
Because you were created for something beautiful”
(Natalie Grant)

Prayer

Jesus I pray that you will walk with me
Along my Pilgrim journey

When I grow weary Lord
Comfort me with your Holy Spirit

In my trials Lord, walk with me
When the shades of life are falling

In my sorrows and joys, Lord walk with me
As I place my soul in your hands

Give me grace to serve you Jesus
As I walk towards eternity.

Amen
By the Labyrinth team