It reminds me of when I was once hiking up a mountain in Alaska. We'd been hiking for several hours, and we were on a flat area of the mountain that was absolutely covered with wildflowers. The sun was shining through the clouds and the flowers almost appeared as if they were backlit. It was a gold spotlight, highlighting all of these gorgeous colors. I'd never seen light like that before.
The mountain range overlooked the sea, and I remember thinking to myself, this must be what heaven looks like. It was the most beautiful scene I'd ever witnessed, to this day. At that moment, I realized my mind couldn't imagine anything more stunning. It was the only time I can recall being brought to tears by something so beautiful it could only be credited to God. It took my breath away.
It makes me wonder. What kind of God is so creative? What kind of God cares so much about our surroundings, or about beauty in general? Fascinating to think about, isn't it?
He not only made our surroundings beautiful, but He also made us beautiful. Did you know that you're beautiful? If you don't know it, let me tell you. You are. I'm not talking about the world's beauty standards, because those standards aren't true beauty.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Those laugh lines that are appearing more frequently on your face? Beautiful. How could years of laughter not be beautiful? Gray hair starting to appear, or perhaps it has fully arrived? Beautiful. Those are years of walking with the Lord, and your wisdom was earned.
Your sense of humor? Beautiful. Your thoughtfulness even though you've experienced years of hurt? Stunning. Your kindness towards those in your life? Gorgeous. Your laugh? He loves it. Your tears? He collects them. Your faithfulness? He is moved by it.
In God's eyes, it is not uncommon to become more and more beautiful as we get older. Don't get me wrong, He thinks all of His daughters are beautiful regardless of age. But, He sees the heart, and something happens to our hearts when we've walked with God for a long time.
The kids and I hiked around a portion of the rim of the Grand Canyon on our vacation. It was my favorite time of the entire trip. We were away from the crowds, the tour buses, and the gift shops. It was the three of us on a trail, overlooking some of the most stunning scenery imaginable. There were no sounds except the ravens circling in the sky.
Heaven for an introvert.
Both of my kids were ahead of me on the trail. I was slow, because I kept stopping to take in the views and snap a few pictures. But, the thing about taking pictures of the Grand Canyon is nothing seems to truly capture its beauty. Its one of those wonders you have to see in person. I tried and tried, but I was never happy with the photographs.
I can tell you, however, that the true beauty is inside the canyon. Layers and layers of different colored rock (sediment? I didn't do well in Geology class) are what make it beautiful. Some appear to be white. Some look red. Some look purple. Some look orange. The layers were created over time, under pressure. Together they look like a painting, created by a talented artist.
When we walk with God, the layers inside of us become beautiful, too. Have you ever thought about the different chapters of your life and the type of layer it would create? I've got a childhood era that has a lot of layers. What about when you became an independent adult? When/if you got married ? When/if you had kids? If layers are created by time and pressure, I should have a few. Some still have jagged edges. But, all together, they're the beautiful story of a life that I've been privileged to live.
The kids and I finished our hike and found a restaurant for lunch. It was crowded, and we got in line behind other hungry tourists waiting for a table. I immediately missed the solace of the hike, and I knew I had just experienced the highlight of the trip. God's beauty is incomparable, and even the smallest glimpse of his handiwork is rejuvenating to me.
How I love Him.
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