TO BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF YAHWEH
One thing I have asked from Yahweh, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of Yahweh
And to inquire in His temple.
Psalm 27:5 LSB
Words hold tremendous value in my life. They sculpt mountains, paint seascapes and carve out vistas capable of rendering me speechless. At times, they waft like a cool breeze over sweat drenched skin or pucker the lips as with lemon. Words, powerfully, captivate and devastate with equal speed. And occasionally, those same vowels and consonants when put together just so, tend to linger.
To behold the beauty of Yahweh, a phrase from David’s Psalm, is just such a combination I haven’t been able to escape for months. It is not unfamiliar. Psalm 27 is well etched, underlined and lovingly worn – written down in many a journal or note of encouragement to a brother or sister. It has been prayed back to God and used as a call to worship more than once in my life, but this time, this time the thought laid siege and the Holy Spirit kept it bubbling near the surface.
I wrote it on a post-in note and put it on the cover of my date book. Driving alone down the road in silence, the phrase slipped past my lips without warning. In the middle of my workday, the thought buzzed through my mind like a gnat I did not see coming. It was as if I were desperately trying to finger the edges of an unfamiliar universe, seeking to depict or describe or maybe just navigate through the majesty of those six words.
And then, the words David used – to behold the beauty of Yahweh – resonated when the Holy Spirit showed me, they were not just words but rather the expression of who God is! In David’s Psalm, he painted a picture of the beauty of Yahweh – peace in the midst of the battle. Circumstances did not dictate David’s countenance; his faith in God did.
The beauty of Yahweh is likewise transforming my life from the inside out.
I spent decades ravaged by fear, but through the preaching/teaching and the study of God’s Word, learning that He alone is Almighty, Sovereign, Faithful, I now know that same peace.
In God’s Eternal nature and focus, I see trials, pain and suffering through a different lens that brings joy where bitterness once had taken up residence.
Abiding in Christ’s love is transforming my heart for people, especially those who are difficult or those who have set themselves against me.
The Scriptures are replete with proclamations of God’s creation and His authority over all He has made. Yielding to, submitting to Him in light of that truth is not the same battle it once was.
The testimonies of God’s glory ring out through every truth, every experience of God that we, His children have. The beauty of Yahweh undoes, overwhelms and utterly transforms us! It is not possible to be in God’s presence – through the study of His Word, in worship, in prayer – and not be altered by Him!
To behold the beauty of Yahweh is a willful choice. David expressed his desire through this request – One thing I have asked from Yahweh, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life. I know that I have not, nor will I ever scratch the surface of the beauty of Yahweh, but I want my life to be as intentional as David’s. And, in that desire, I cannot begin to fathom all that I will behold of the beauty of Yahweh. . .For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36).
Written by: Carol Jenkins
