Marie, museums and my thoughts on beauty
It was a perfect day. The weather was in true Aussie terms "awesome." We've also had a good night's sleep, our bodies have recovered from flights to Singapore, Sydney, speaking to Every Nation's leaders, doing a marriage seminar Saturday evening and preaching twice at Oxford Falls Sunday.
Thank God for our hosts, C3 churches, who honor the Sabbath and has spaced our time here with breaks and made our Monday just perfect.
After walking around Hyde Park, the Domain and Sydney Botanical Gardens we headed for the Art Gallery of New South Wales. My artist wife who brings color to my life needed her art fix.
Interestingly all of these places had free admission. A little socialism does have it's benefits, even for tourists. The gallery featured a rich assortment of Aussie art from turn of the century to contemporary, Aboriginal art, a European collection, a photo gallery, they even have an Asian collection.
As I toured the gallery a thought kept repeating itself in my head, beauty. Here are my 3 thoughts on it:
1. Beauty matters. To be sure there is beautiful art and there is not so beautiful art. As they say art is the free expression of what's within. Just as Peter encourages us that lasting beauty resides inside of us as it makes its way out.
"...it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." 1Peter 3:4
But the point is that beauty matters. That's because we are attracted to beauty. God is beautiful and it is what causes us to seek Him. "One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4
2. Beauty influences. As Marie took her time to savor art pieces I found myself browsing at some point and was just waiting for her.
While waiting, I thought of how beauty influences all of us. Whether that's a beautiful sunset, a picturesque landscape, an artwork or even a beautiful woman. I am reminded of Esther in the Bible whose beauty influenced the powers at be and an entire nation.
I am often asked, what is it about Marie that made you want to marry her? Since I am a pastor I guess they expect me to say - because she was spiritual. Marie is certainly spiritual but that wasn't at the top of my list when I first met her. Honestly, her beauty was a major influence.
3. Beauty fades. While beauty matters and influences, it does fade over time. "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30
Solomon points out that God makes everything beautiful in His time but has also set eternity in our hearts. "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart;..." Ecclesiastes 3:11
And like the artists that mattered in their time and influenced many, they all had something else in common, each artist as some point faded. Death is a certainty no matter how beautiful. Bottom line is everyone needs the Gospel of Christ for everyone has eternity set in their heart.
Have a beautiful week!
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