Infectious, Radiant Beauty

Good morning…

A new truth dawns on me. Beauty has nothing to do with age or weight, body type or hair style. Beauty has everything to do with radiance.

Whenever our college-aged daughter comes home for the weekend, she loves to go to Passion City for worship. Last Sunday, she and I enjoyed the 9:30 am service. As the members of the talented band led praise songs with the crowd, I leaned over to our nineteen-year-old and whispered, “Christians all look so different.” There were long-haireds and no-hairs. Skinny and shapely. Tall and small. Dark skinned and light, and every tone in between. Radiance is the one common quality all the band members shared. God’s beautiful radiance beamed forth as they sang. Their song is our new song as we live radiantly with the Lord.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,
who have no confidence in the proud
or in those who worship idols (Psalm 40:1-4, NLT).