Behold the Beauty… (Psalm 27) 250208
I am supposed to preach a sermon in my preaching class today on Daniel 2, but my dear lecturer is on medical leave, therefore, my agony is being extent. I has been waiting for today, so that I can deliver the message and get over with it. The whole process of sermon preparation is like giving birth. From conceptualization of the message to taking in commentator’s views and words studies, to crafting the script and rehearsing the sermon over and over again; all are painstaking! It is like a nightmare. And all these do not include endless prayers to ensure smooth delivery. And on the due date, cannot deliver! I can now somehow understand the agony of a mother giving birth, especially it is overdue.
Last week was filled with ups and downs emotionally. But I was able to cope with it much better. I wrote it out, talked it out, shared with friends, prayed with people, went to swim and emerged in the beauty of the Lord. I am thankful. Though I have not completely recovered, but I am on the way of recovery.
I still very tired easily, especially I came back from church on Sunday. I was simply chatting and catching up with some church members and tried to express some care and concern, but that drained me. Though I no longer feel negative or a dread, but I can sense my energy was being zapped away from me. It is like a tap with running water cannot be turned off completely after turning it on. I have water. I have been keep refilling my tank, but my tap is still faulty. I know I still need time to repair it; I know I still need more time to recover from it completely.
But there is one truth I have learned last Tuesday from my motorbike. I was careless and forgotten to turn off my bike and remove the key from it after I parked it in my college. When I realized, it was already 4 hours later, and I rushed to my bike and discovered that the battery was flat. I was very upset with myself and took out the battery from my bike and wanted to go and buy a new one to replace it. But a friend of my saw it and told me that he can help me to run-start my bike and let the battery to be recharged on its own. He did that and indeed, the battery got recharged and it was fine after that. The lesson I learned is that, though my tank might be empty, in order to refill it, I got to do something about it. I got to continue to serve as the Lord refilled me. Then I will know what is wrong will my tap and got it repaired. I am not too sure if this is what the Lord wants from me, but I will wait for Him to reveal His will to me.
Today, I read one of my favorite Psalm. It is my favorite because it really speaks of my heart’s desire. That is to behold the beauty of the Lord and His Holy Temple (v4). What can be more pleasurable that beholding the beauty, the splendor and the glory of God? I know that this Psalm also talks about how the Psalmist was praying to God for His mercy and deliverance from his enemies; but his most endearing plea was to be in the presence of God and behold His Temple.
I like Eugene Peterson’s paraphrasing of verse 4 and 5:
I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. (MSG)
I agree with this Psalmist, there is only one thing I want from God, that is to live with Him, in Him and through Him, all the days of my life. I want to contemplate, to gaze intensely, to admire, and to adore the beauty which is beyond human language and beyond my imagination. Behold the Beauty.
It is beautiful to dwell in His presence. It is beautiful to walk with God through good times and bad times. It is beautiful to enjoy God’s faithfulness and goodness in my life. It is beautiful to recognize the lovingkindness of God even though I am dry and out. It is beautiful to behold the Beauty.
I behold God and He will made all things beautiful. Who do you behold as the beauty of your life?
HHS…
Abel…
