Beauty Beyond Measure

  He has made everything beautiful in its time.  

(Ecclesiastes 3:11)

I marvel at the beauty seen in a well-cultivated garden or a beautifully-landscaped property.  The gardener has taken time, talent and thought to piece together a work of art.  In a world where I expect everything, at once, ready-made, and to my liking, I am thinking I should take a leaf out of God's Book; where the ultimate gardener patiently brought the world into existence.  He took seven days.  In the unfolding of days one to five, we see the brilliance and creativity of how God made everything ready for humanity; water, light, air, plants, sun, moon, stars, fish and birds. 

Saving the best for last, he brought animals and then His crowning creation, humanity, into existence, on day six.  In His wonderful wisdom, He rested on day seven, and no, God was not tired.  He had simply finished the work of creating, with all its beauty.  And He took all the time He needed.

Whether it be waiting for the subtle colours in the rising of the sun, or the incredible painting of the western sky at dusk; the blooming of a flower or the first glimps of a new-born baby; beauty is always worthy of the wait.  Paint that sunset.  Plant that seed.  Pour your love into that sweet baby's precious life.

Be of good courage, friends.  Sow kindness.  Sow joy.  Sow beauty.  Sow the incredible, indelible gospel and fruit will come; everlasting fruit; beauty beyond measure.  The Gardener, Jesus Christ, will bring you to His eternal rest; to behold His beauty.  And, while we will be taken aback to see the nail prints in His hands and feet, they will be of utmost beauty to us.  God's plans, from eternity past, will finally bear eternal fruit.  

Sow righteousness for yourselves,

reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unplowed ground;

for it is time to seek the Lord,

until he comes

and showers his righteousness on you.

(Hosea 10:12)