Beauty
Psalm 27
Journal entry dated March 22, 2005
"to feast my eyes on the beauty of the Lord"
Like Psalm 23, Psalm 27 identifies dwelling in the house of the Lord with freedom from fear. But there is an additional element: beauty. We are the creators of so much ugliness: war, environmental devastation, senseless violence, poverty that breeds despair and endemic hopelessness. And beauty, on the other hand, has become largely a prerogative of the bourgeoisie, a luxury for those who can afford it. We spend so much on imperial Byzantine churches and iconography projects that we have nothing to give to those in need.
What is the beauty of the Lord?
Spontaneous and simple. Unanticipated. It is an act of kindness when you least expect it, restoring hope. Beauty is a healing event. Beauty is fearlessly fragile and vulnerable. Like kindness, beauty is a concept not easily commodified as an instrument of control. Beauty is free.
A single act of beauty is like a seed that has the power to save the world.
The Selah Project
3 comments:
This is my special favourite. Particularly verses 6 and 7. I also have a tune for these verses that I picked up years ago - but I can't find anyone who knows it. These verses have been a guide and an inspiration to my life. They sum up my relationship with God. And how comforting is the final verse - and how sweet of you to bring it my attention once again
- Wait for the Lord - be strong, and let your heart take courage, yea wait for the Lord.
Here I am Lord.
It's been almost a month since we've heard from you! At least say good bye if you're going to leave us.
some good reading here.
update already, eh? (canadian, how can you tell?)
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