Let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us. Psalm 90:17, NKJV

A mother sent her son a letter who was overseas on military duty. The affixed address inscribed Fleet Post Office, New York which is commonly abbreviated as FPO, NY. She wrote: “My son, I guess you are in a beautiful oriental country with such an exotic name FPO, NY. Is it in Japan?”

One of the benefits of the military is being able to venture around the world to see God’s beauty. His creation is a reflection of this attribute of beauty. God does not lack anything that would be desirable for Him. He is essential beauty and all the beauty in the world radiates from Him. While God’s Son lived simply and walked this earth in a common carpenter’s toga, Jesus was inwardly beautiful. His garments became white, which was God’s beauty shining through.

When we don the cloak of honesty and dwell upon the Lord, we too can experience that inner beauty. Listen to David’s heart for drawing nearer to God, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD” (Psalm 27:4). We too should pant after God’s beauty, as a deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1). If there is something we should be obsessive about, it is the glory of God. This will far surpass all other desires.

“Beauty is God’s handwriting—a wayside sacrament.” – John Milton